Modernization of the Administration of Justice

West Bank and Gaza 1999 - 2004

DPK helped to modernize the Palestinian justice system by increasing the capacity of the justice sector to serve the public, developing the policy framework for judicial reform, improving Palestinian legal education, and expanding the use of alternative dispute resolution.

Pilot Courts
The DPK team implemented pilot delay reduction programs; provided new tools such as operational manuals; benchbooks; standardized forms and uniform registers to promote uniformity of legal practice; increased the use of ADR techniques; and introduced new organizational structures in courts.

The DPK team established pilot courts in Ramallah (1), Jenin (1), and Gaza City (2), and implemented court administration and automation systems in each of the sites. Deployment for an automated case management system was completed in these courts. DPK assessed equipment needs, and ordered and installed required equipment in each location. DPK worked with the Supreme Judicial Council, pilot court judges and selected court staff to design the automated system and contracted with a local programming company to develop the custom software. DPK trained court staff on the system and it is now live in each of the initial pilot courts. DPK provided training on the ongoing use and maintenance of the system. The pilot program was successfully expanded to include seven additional courts, including: Bethlehem (2), Jericho (2), Ramallah, Deir Al-Balah, and Jabalia.

Attorney General/Prosecution
The project trained staff, introduced technology, and updated procedures to help ensure that prosecutors have the skills and materials necessary to carry out their duties. Training occurred in human rights, trial advocacy, homicide crime investigation techniques, forensic science, and general criminal law such as narcotics procedures and fraud. Additional seminars were held on computer crimes, civil law, and ethics. A “Train the Trainers” program was implemented in the Attorney General’s office (OAG).

Main prosecution facilities were automated. An information retrieval system was designed and implemented in the OAG, providing access to information on case tracking, statistical analysis, incarceration rates, sentencing results, and human rights issues. Related equipment for these offices, including computers, faxes, air conditioners, furniture, etc. were procured and installed. A review of the OAG’s human resources practices has resulted in the introduction of merit hiring, merit promotion, and recruitment of women.

Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)
DPK conducted research on the types of cases that would be appropriate for greater use of ADR techniques. This research resulted in the determination that commercial courts would be apt for a dispute resolution environment. DPK established the first two commercial dispute resolution centers, one in West Bank and one in Gaza. The centers are now accepting cases and working to build their capacity and ensure sustainability.

Legal Education
DPK worked with four Palestinian law schools to train faculty, develop a more relevant and practical curriculum, and to provide access to modern information technology for research on case law and jurisprudence. DPK also organized a study tour for 12 Palestinian law professors to visit universities in San Francisco, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. The delegation participated in seminars on curriculum development, law library development, and law review journal publication. The legal education conferences have united Palestinian law teachers and deans for the purpose of exploring matters relative to law teaching and contemporary legal issues.