Rule of Law Initiative Programs - Jordan

The Rule of Law Initiative Integrity and Independence team supported local stakeholders in the creation and adoption of Jordan's first Judicial Code of Conduct

Judicial Ethics and Independence and Integrity

After conducting an assessment of judicial independence and integrity in Jordan, ABA Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI) experts noted the lack of an official ethics guide for judges. ABA ROLI worked closely with a group of judges, the Accountability Working Group (AWG), to develop a clear and viable system of judicial ethics and accountability in Jordan. Along with assisting in the development of the Judicial Code of Ethics, ABA ROLI organized a U.S.-based study trip for members of AWG. In April 2006, the Judicial Council (JC) approved the formation of the Ethics and Accountability Committee (EAC), a permanent institution of the JC entrusted with providing “incentives to judges to follow the judicial behavior rules included in the Judicial Code of Ethics and other judicial behavior rules and customs.” The EAC is charged with developing “the necessary proposals and recommendations on the ethics of judges with the goal of guaranteeing their neutrality and integrity, and their insistence on independence in their judicial work.” ABA ROLI is assisting in this process through a variety of efforts, including conducting a national public awareness campaign, hosting ethics training for judges, developing a training curriculum for judges and court employees and drafting a judicial bench book on ethics.

Alternative Dispute Resolution

Alternative Dispute Resolution

Experts and local stakeholders have expressed considerable concern about Jordan’s overburdened court system, citing decreased accessibility to justice and public dissatisfaction with the courts. ABA ROLI introduced court mediation as an alternative to Jordan’s lengthy and costly litigation process. To prepare for this new legal option, ABA ROLI helped in the drafting a legislative amendment to Jordan’s Mediation Law, established mediation trainings for judges and lawyers, hosted awareness sessions, conducted a media campaign, and developed materials, including brochures, forms and a code of ethics for mediators. The Amman Court of First Instance launched Jordan’s first court mediation program on June 1, 2006. In remarks made during the launch ceremony, the Minister and Chief Justice indicated Jordan’s confidence in the project’s ability to increase the efficiency of the court system and to serve as a model for the future expansion of judicial mediation throughout Jordan. In January 2007, four new mediation centers were opened and continued expansion is underway. Plans are being made to replicate court mediation across the Kingdom and a new department has been established to direct this effort.  As of June 2008, almost 1,200 cases had been referred to court mediation with a settlement rate near 70% and with overwhelming satisfaction by parties. 

 

Legal Education

Summer Practicum and Law Faculty Trip

A primary objective of the ABA Rule of Law Initiative’s (ABA ROLI’s) program in Jordan is to better prepare the country’s future lawyers and judges for their legal careers. By partnering with law schools, working attorneys, the Ministry of Higher Education and the Ministry of Justice, ABA ROLI has engaged a multitude of stakeholders in activities to build consensus around these reform efforts. ABA ROLI-hosted national workshops in 2005 and 2007 resulted in a series of recommendations to advance legal education reform in Jordan. Since 2005, ABA ROLI has worked with local universities and has engaged professors and students in skill-building workshops and other activities designed to introduce effective alternatives to the traditional lecture- and exam-based methods of legal education. 

By introducing interactive teaching methods to law professors, ABA ROLI has gradually built the capacity of local professors to take the lead in developing challenging and enriching student activities for inside and outside of the classroom. ABA ROLI-supported student activities include moot court, summer practicum sessions, externships and a legal writing competition hosted by Jordan’s National Center for Human Rights. ABA ROLI has also worked with law professors to develop new courses on legal research and writing, legal English and alternative dispute resolution. ABA ROLI is continuing its efforts to institutionalize experiential learning at law schools and to encourage professors to focus on teaching the core skills required to compete in the job market.