About

The Federal Judicial Center is the education and research agency for the United States federal judiciary. The Center’s International Office collaborates with judicial academies on capacity-building initiatives, provides information to facilitate justice sector reform, and supports the work of judges interested in engaging with their counterparts from other countries.

Judiciaries Worldwide (JW) was developed to enhance understanding about how countries structure their court systems. National judiciaries have varied histories and legal cultures. JW explores these traditions and offers insights about different approaches to court procedure and judicial administration.

The site focuses on the practical: the strategies nations have adopted to select and educate judges, resolve disputes, enforce fair trial principles, and hold their judiciaries accountable. While most people who engage with the courts do so at a national level, international justice plays in important role in preserving rule of law norms. For this reason, JW includes information about international standards and tribunals. The Rule of Law section of the site describes efforts to improve the administration of justice around the world through initiatives funded by international organizations and national governments. A better appreciation of comparative judicial systems and practice – the animating goal of JW -- will serve to strengthen the impact of these international rule of law efforts.

The content on this site, presented through summaries and graphics, sweeps broadly and does not account for the full range and complexity of national models. JW is not a repository for scholarly research but more of a hands-on toolkit. However, each piece on the site includes references for those interested in further exploration.

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Additional material is added to Judiciaries Worldwide on an ongoing basis. You can subscribe for periodic updates here.

Contributors

The Federal Judicial Center seeks partners interested in developing and reviewing content for Judiciaries Worldwide. The Center hopes to build a community of contributors with diverse expertise and a shared commitment to quality and collaboration. A list of contributors is available here. If you are interested in developing content for Judiciaries Worldwide, additional information can be accessed here.

Contact Us

The Center welcomes your questions and comments. Please contact us here.

Thank you for visiting Judiciaries Worldwide, 

Mira Gur-Arie

Director

International Office
Federal Judicial Center