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The profiles on this page highlight different strategies nations have adopted to deliver justice, including how to select judges, structure judicial review, and meet the needs of diverse populations. There is much to be learned from the experience and innovation of judiciaries around the world.
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Court administration, also referred to as judicial administration, encompasses the range of policies, procedures, and tasks essential to court operations. Its goal is to ensure the fair and efficient administration of justice. Judiciary leadership, judges, and court administrative personnel all…
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Improving court administration is a common goal of judicial reform. Court administration experts have identified the essential components of court services and developed metrics for assessing efficiency and quality. ‘Court performance standards’ have become an important tool for deploying limited…
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Courts employ many professionals to assist first-instance and appellate judges with the adjudication and administration of court proceedings. Unlike in the United States, court personnel may serve in a quasi-judicial capacity and many are part of the national civil service…
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Courts play a central role in the administration of justice. Effective governance and court management are essential. Judiciaries have adopted different strategies for creating leadership structures, developing their budgets, staffing administrative positions, and ensuring public access to…
Prisoner in orange jumpsuit sitting alone
Criminal procedure plays a fundamental role in all justice systems, ensuring the right to a fair trial and protecting the rights of victims and the interests of society. Countries have developed different strategies for addressing these values, as reflected in their trial…
Drawing of two people shaking hands.
Defining Customary Law Customary law is a set of laws based on the traditions, customs, or norms of a local community. It is applied in many countries around the world, often in conjunction with civil, common, and religious legal systems.   As with any legal system,…
spooky headless judge holding scales of justice against a black background
As of 2021, 55 countries permit capital punishment and more than 70% of nations have abolished it in law or practice. There were 579 executions carried out in 2021 by 18 countries. Methods used included beheading, hanging, lethal injection, and shooting.
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Civil litigation ends. The prevailing party seeks to enforce the final judgment, usually the payment of money, seizure of property, or an order to do or refrain from an activity. Nations vary in the enforcement mechanisms for judgments. The process is usually set forth…