Countries use a variety of terms to describe components of a judicial system, the litigation process, and what judges do. Vocabulary matters a great deal in the transnational context.
The right to counsel in criminal cases is fundamental to a fair trial. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was the first instrument of international law to set forth this right; it was later affirmed in multiple international conventions and national constitutions. In 2012, the United Nations…
Rule of law is a principle of governance in which all persons, institutions and entities, public and private, including the State itself, are accountable to laws that are publicly promulgated, equally enforced and
Judiciaries around the world participate in a broad…
There are four principle sentencing models used by criminal justice systems around the world, with some adopting a combined approach. This page examines the sentencing practices of eight countries, including procedure, the role of victims, sentence types, whether mandatory minimums are used, and…
Many countries have specialized courts that operate alongside courts of general jurisdiction. These courts are created to meet the needs of specific constituencies (juvenile courts, tribal courts, community courts) or to address unique jurisdictional issues (tax courts, probate courts). Specialized…
In countries that have experienced a sustained period of conflict, repression, or human rights violations, the existing justice system may not be equipped to provide adequate recourse. In the aftermath of sustained periods of strife, political and legal institutions may…
Justice systems around the world face heavy criminal case loads.
Features to Consider in Trial-Waiver Models
Prosecution control of charge
Victim agreement
Types of Crime
Types of punishments or other consequences, including dismissal after supervision
Judge…
The United States supports rule of law initiatives throughout the world. This resource describes the government agencies that support justice sector development, the process for allocating public funds, and the public and private institutions engaged with project implementation…
Foreign judges have been “imported” throughout history, dating back to Ancient Greece when independent city-states br
Local CapacityThe process of developing a pool of skilled judges takes time. In countries without a well-established legal profession, especially those with…