MINISTER OF JUSTICE PRAISES PA JUDICIAL REFORM

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 007128

SIPDIS

CORRECTED COPY

STATE FOR NEA-LCHENEY, NEA/PPD-MACINNES, GAFFNEY,
BOURGEOIS, NEA/ ARN-SZIADEH, ECA/P/CE/NEA-TJOHNSTON,
AID FOR ANE/MEA-WOLIVER, AMOUSTAFA, ANE/SEA-RGOLD

TAGS: OIIP OEXC PGOV PHUM KPAO JO
SUBJECT: MINISTER OF JUSTICE PRAISES PA JUDICIAL REFORM
RESULTS

REF: STATE 232792


1. SUMMARY: POINTING TO A RECENT REPORT FROM HIS STAFF,
MINISTER OF JUSTICE H.E. FARES AL NABULSI SHARED WITH
EMBOFFS DURING A RECENT VISIT STATISTICS DEMONSTRATING
WIDESPREAD ACCEPTANCE OF NEW CASE MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES
FOR PROCESSING CIVIL CASES WITH DRAMATIC RESULTS. HE
CREDITED THIS DEVELOPMENT TO PROGRAMS WHICH PA--WITH
SUPPORT FROM CITIZENS' EXCHANGES, INTERNATIONAL
VISITORS, AND AID--HAS BEEN CONDUCTING WITH THE
MINISTRY IN RECENT YEARS. THE MINISTER BEAMED AS HE
CITED THE STATISTICS: IN THE FIRST MONTH ALONE, 50
PERCENT OF CIVIL CASES PROCESSED THROUGH CASE
MANAGEMENT WERE MOVED ONTO A "FAST TRACK" WHICH SHOULD
RESULT IN THEIR RESOLUTION WITHIN FOUR TO SIX MONTHS AS
OPPOSED TO THE MORE NORMAL ONE TO TWO YEARS. EXPEDITED
COURT DECISIONS IN CIVIL CASES IS ONE OF THE GOJ'S AND
THE MISSION'S PRIMARY GOALS IN STRENGTHENING RULE OF
LAW AND CONFIDENCE IN THE JUDICIARY BY BOTH CITIZENS
AND ENTREPRENEURS. THIS PROGRAM STRONGLY SUPPORTS THE
MISSION'S MEPI GOAL OF STRENGTHENING DEMOCRATIC
INSTITUTIONS IN JORDAN. THE MINISTER HAS PERSONALLY
REQUESTED THAT WE EXTEND AND EXPAND THE PROGRAM. END
SUMMARY.


2. CASE MANAGEMENT: FASTER DECISIONS.
PAO, CAO AND CULTURAL SPECIALIST MET WITH JORDAN'S
MINISTER OF JUSTICE, H.E. FARES AL NABULSI ON NOVEMBER
13, 2002 TO DISCUSS SELECTION OF CANDIDATES FOR THE
NEXT SEGMENT OF AN AED-ADMINISTERED EXCHANGE PROGRAM
FOCUSING ON CASE MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES. THE MINISTER,
WITH VISIBLE DELIGHT, BRANDISHED THE RESULTS OF A PILOT
CASE MANAGEMENT PROJECT INITIATED AFTER AN EARLIER
SEGMENT. EXPRESSING HIS ASTONISHMENT AND PLEASURE OVER
THE POSITIVE RESULTS (IN THE VERY FIRST MONTH OF THE
PILOT PROJECT, THE TWO PILOT JUDGES HAD BEEN ABLE TO
REFER ALMOST 50% OF THEIR CASES DIRECTLY TO A TRIAL
JUDGE VIA A "FAST TRACK" THAT WILL CUT CASE TIME TO NO
MORE THAN HALF A YEAR INSTEAD OF THE MORE NORMAL ONE TO
TWO YEAR PERIOD; TWO CASES HAD ALREADY BEEN RESOLVED),
THE MINISTER REAFFIRMED HIS FULL SUPPORT FOR
CONTINUATION OF THESE PD-INITIATED JUDICIAL REFORM
PROJECTS, AND REQUESTED POST TO PROPOSE ADDITIONAL
PROJECTS FOR JUDICIAL PARTICIPATION.


3. EXCHANGE VISITS OVERCOMES DOUBTS.
THE MINISTER NOTED THAT MOVEMENT ON INSTITUTING CASE
MANAGEMENT HAD BEEN HELD UP FOR OVER A YEAR BECAUSE OF
VARIOUS MISGIVINGS AND DOUBTS AMONG SENIOR JUDGES ABOUT
TRYING SOMETHING "FOREIGN AND NEW", AND ADDED THAT THE
TRAINING PROGRAMS ARRANGED THROUGH EMBASSY'S PA SECTION
HAD BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN SWAYING OPINIONS IN FAVOR OF
THE PILOT PROJECT. HE SMILED AS HE POINTED OUT THAT
THE CURRENT HEAD OF THE JUDICIAL COUNCIL, JUDGE
MOHAMMAD SAMED AL RAQQAD, IN HIS PREVIOUS CAPACITY ON
THE COMMITTEE DRAFTING AMENDMENTS TO JUDICIAL
PROCEDURES, HAD ORIGINALLY BEEN AGAINST CASE
MANAGEMENT. AFTER A POST-SPONSORED VISIT TO THE U.S.
LAST YEAR, THIS INDIVIDUAL EXPERIENCED A CHANGE OF
HEART AND IS NOW A FIRM SUPPORTER OF THIS JUDICIAL
REFORM INITIATIVE. JUDGE AL RAQQAD WILL BE HEADING THE
JUDICIAL DELEGATION VISITING THE U.S. DECEMBER 8-22,

2002.

4.BUCKS FOR THE BANG.
FUNDING FOR POST'S ONGOING JUDICIAL REFORM INITIATIVES
HAS COME FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES, INCLUDING
SUBSTANTIAL SUPPORT FROM CITIZEN'S EXCHANGES AND THE IV
PROGRAM. THE TWO PROGRAMS MENTIONED ABOVE, ONE
COMPLETED AND ONE TO BEGIN IN DECEMBER, WERE FUNDED VIA
A PASS-THROUGH FROM THE MINISTRY OF PLANNING TO THE
MINISTRY OF JUSTICE FROM THE LOCAL CURRENCY ACCOUNT,
WHICH IS PART OF USAID'S ASSISTANCE TO JORDAN.


5. CURRENT AND UPCOMING PROJECTS IN THE SERIES INCLUDE:

OCTOBER 2002 - CONTINUING: ENGLISH LANGUAGE TRAINING
FOR NEWLY SELECTED JUDGES. (WE SEEK FUNDING TO EXPAND
TRAINING TO A WIDER POOL OF JUDGES AND LAWYERS.)

DECEMBER 8-22, 2002 - 10 JUDGES WILL TRAVEL TO THE U.S.
ON AN AED ADMINISTERED PROJECT FOCUSING ON CASE
MANAGEMENT AND SIMILAR TECHNIQUES. (FUNDED VIA THE AID-
PROVIDED LOCAL CURRENCY ACCOUNT.)

JANUARY 2003 - FOLLOW-ON PROGRAM WITH ISDLS OF SAN
FRANCISCO FOR TRAINING IN JUDICIAL MEDIATION, A
PRIORITY ISSUE FOR THE MINISTRY. (FUNDED VIA A
CITIZENS' EXCHANGES GRANT.) BERRY