News
Georgia Street Law Program Reaches Out to Orphans
For many children living in Georgia’s orphanages, the future is bleak. Without the resources to teach orphans the basic rules that will help them participate more fully in society, many of these children face a life of poverty, lost opportunities and even crime once they are released at the age of 18. But with the help of the ABA Rule of Law Initiative’s Street Law Program, Law students from Tbilisi State University are hoping to change that. Read more »»
New Push to Improve Judicial Education in Georgia
The ABA Rule of Law Initiative and the German Technical Cooperation agency recently organized a four-day “train the trainers” program on interactive teaching methodology and curriculum writing for instructors at the High School of Justice of Georgia. Read more »»
Georgia Street Law Program Moving Ahead Toward Long-Term Sustainability
The ABA Rule of Law Initiative street law training conducted from October 11 to 13 marked the beginning of a full-scale Street Law Clinic at Tbilisi State University Law Faculty. Read more »»
Programs
Anti-Corruption
ABA Rule of Law Initiative anti-corruption program seeks to assist the Government of Georgia with the implementation of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy and Action Plan adopted in June 2005 and March 2006, respectively. ABA led a team of experts that prepared a comprehensive treatise on harmonizing domestic legislation with the provisions of the UN Convention on Anti-Corruption, a prerequisite for Georgia to ratify UNCAC. Read more »»
Criminal Law Reform
ABA's criminal law program provides timely and direct assistance on criminal justice issues to the Government of Georgia, as well as to the legal and law enforcement community.
Criminal Procedure Code
With ABA's assistance, the Criminal Procedure Code working group completed a final draft of the Code in spring 2006. The new Code is intended to bring Georgia's criminal legislation into compliance with international standards. Read more »»
Defense Bar Training
In preparation for the new Criminal Procedure Code, which is based on an adversarial system, ABA conducts Trial Advocacy Skills Training programs for Georgian lawyers that are being taught by ABA staff along with a cadre of Georgian trainers. Read more »»
Inspector General
Over the past year, ABA worked with local partners (Ministry of Justice, USAIG, and the OSCE) to develop a fully functioning and independent Georgian Association of Inspector's Generals (GAIG) modeled after the United States Inspector General Association (USAIG). Read more »»
Human Trafficking
ABA's Criminal Law Program provided scholarly commentary on Georgia's anti-trafficking legislation that was adopted by the Parliament on February 28th, 2006. In addition, ABA is working vigorously to develop an effective Victim Referral System and in November, a National Referral Mechanism (NRM) was adopted by the Georgian Government. Read more »»
Gender Legal Issues
ABA's long-term goal in the area of gender legal reform is to assist women to attain equality under the law and throughout their everyday lives. During the past year, ABA's gender program has focused on addressing domestic violence. The ABA expanded its support for the Women's Rights Advocacy Center under the aegis of the Center for the Protection of Constitutional Rights (CPCR) and sponsored a coalition, led by GYLA that succeeded in advocating for the adoption of Georgia's first domestic violence legislation and a government action plan. Read more »»
Judicial Reform
ABA's judicial reform activities focus on strengthening the judiciary to become an equal and independent branch of Government. ABA provides ongoing assistance to the High Council of Justice (HCOJ) and Supreme Court in instituting sweeping court reforms, as well as assisting the High School of Justice and the Constitutional Court. In addition, ABA is working with the Ministry of Justice to overhaul the procedures for enforcement of judgments throughout the country. Read more »»
Publications
- Legal Profession Reform Index, Volume II (November 2007)
- The United Nations Convention against Corruption and Georgian Legislation (2006). Available in Georgian. The Executive Summary is available in English.
- Judicial Perception Survey (2005). Available in Georgian only
- Judicial Reform Index for Georgia (2005)
- Legal Profession Reform Index for Georgia (2005). Also available in Georgian
- CEDAW Assessment for Georgia (2003)
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2nd Floor, Apartment # 3-6,
0179 Tbilisi, Georgia
Phone: +995 (32) 92-35-78 /80/79
Fax: +995 (32) 92-17-16
Email address: staff@abarol.ge
Background
ABA launched its Rule of Law Program in Georgia in 1996 and it's Criminal Law Reform Program in 2000.
ABA's assistance has led to a number of important achievements, including successful judicial qualification and bar examinations; the adoption of the Law on Advocates for the establishment of a mandatory bar association; and the creation of legal clinics for socially vulnerable citizens. The Rose Revolution brought renewed vigor to legal reform and ABA responded with technical and financial assistance for the creation of first nation-wide bar association; government anti-corruption efforts; extensive structural reforms in the judiciary; the adoption of domestic violence legislation; and major reforms to the Criminal Procedure Code.
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Meet our Legal Specialists
John Brown, Rule of Law Legal Specialist, joined ABA in December 2006 to work on the Rule of Law Program in Georgia. John has been a General Sessions Court Judge for 24 years and has presided over high volume caseload of limited jurisdiction civil, misdemeanor criminal, felony preliminary hearings, municipal, mental health and traffic cases. Read more »»
Daniel S. Linhardt, Criminal Law Legal Specialist joined the ABA Rule of Law Initiative in September 2007. Currently Dan works on ABA Georgia’s Criminal Law Program which is funded by DOJ-OPDAT (Department of Justice- Overseas Prosecutorial Development Assistance and Training) and the U.S State Department, INL. He received his J.D.degree from Northwestern University School of Law. Read more »»
Meet Our Staff
