Section of International Law: International Judicial Affairs

Section of International Law:
International Judicial Affairs

Message From The Chair

No society has a monopoly on the procedures and the substantive rules that facilitate integrity, accountability and efficiency in courts. Every society must take into account its own unique traditions and needs as it deals with the human problem of how to resolve disputes fairly and to deliver justice on a broad scale.

However, despite many cultural differences, there are certain fundamentals common to all systems that seek reliably to deliver justice and implement the rule of law. These include independence of the judiciary; stability, predictability and transparency in the operation of the courts; and access to justice for all persons, regardless of their wealth or station in life.

WE ARE WORKING TOGETHER
To assist in our common efforts to promote and preserve the rule of law, the International Judicial Affairs Committee seeks to engage both lawyers and judges from jurisdictions and legal systems all over the globe in the development of continuing legal and judicial education programs, conferences and exchanges that will help all of us identify and address problems common to our respective legal systems, whether civil law, common law or otherwise.

We have been contacted by several European judges who are very experienced in international judicial education programs and wish to join our efforts. And we are particularly honored and gratified that Chief Justice Ade Renner-Thomas, of the Supreme Court of Sierra Leone, recently agreed to help lead the International Judicial Affairs Committee's work; he has been appointed a Vice-Chair of this Committee. We look forward to receiving the benefit of his experience and his wisdom.

WE NEED YOU
There is a great deal we can do, and you too can help our group take shape! Click here to sign up. You can also join our committee and join our list serve by clicking on the appropriate spaces in the right-hand column. Our formal mission statement, and a summary of the types of programs to which you might contribute and in which you might participate, are set forth below.

What is the Purpose of this Committee?

The committee's mission statement expresses its broad and important goals:

The International Judicial Affairs Committee, established by the American Bar Association's International Law Section, actively seeks to engage its members in activities that are designed to promote and strengthen the rule of law world-wide. The Committee's members are judges and lawyers practicing in jurisdictions around the world. The Committee's first and foremost task is simply to facilitate the exchange of information about issues and concerns affecting the judiciary in the members' respective countries. In addition, the Committee works to develop opportunities for judges to work with fellow judges in other jurisdictions in mutually beneficial ways, including the development of administrative and substantive training programs for judges and for court staff, and, where appropriate, assistance in addressing court reform issues at a member's request. Within the United States, the Committee will also be available to meet with visiting judges from other countries, to provide hospitality and education about the functioning of the American legal system, and to confer about common issues facing courts.

In order to help reach those goals, the committee intends to develop the following types of programs as the need arises:

Judicial Selection, Promotion and Governance (including ethics and discipline)
Judicial Decision-Making: Analyzing and writing in the manner of a judge, rather than that of an advocate; substantive training in subject matter areas; courtroom and docket management
Court Administration: Clerks and staff; filing and retrieval of pleadings, evidence and transcripts
Legal Profession: Governance (including ethics and discipline); paralegal assistance; training and availability of prosecutors, defenders and civil attorneys
Alternative Dispute Resolution: Court-annexed and/or court-recognized and enforced arbitration or mediation, particularly when formal courts are understaffed or underresourced; availability for family law and property questions, as well as for commercial and investment disputes

It is the committee's intent that these programs not be one-time offerings, but that they be developed for continuing use and thereafter adapted as needed for application in many different jurisdictions.