The improvement of court efficiency brought together today a high level meeting of justice sector stakeholders at the Ministry of Justice, organized with the support of the USAID’s JuST project and the OSCE Presence in Albania.

In the focus of discussions was the experience of the Kruja District Court which is implementing since February active case management practices for avoiding unproductive hearings, wasted time and unnecessary delays which are not an uncommon experience in the Albanian judiciary. This pilot project entitled: “For Justice Without Delays” relies on better pretrial preparation and more attention to the principle that every court hearing should be a meaningful one. It includes specific targets for the Kruja District Court, such as reducing the number of court sessions from 14 to 4 in complex civil cases, and from almost 9 to 3 for criminal cases. The Kruja District Court initiative is strongly supported by the High Council of Justice and the Ministry of Justice. OSCE and USAID support includes help with process design, data collection and analysis, and information dissemination.

Practical steps already put in practice in Kruja District Court consist in improving the practice of evidence submission, the conduct of preliminary sessions, and contact with the parties. Within two months results are already visible, and discussions are under way for the expansion of the project in a second court, the District Court of Korça.

USAID JuST is a five-year project, begun in October 2010, to increase court transparency, fairness and efficiency; bolster watchdog and anti-corruption roles of civil society organizations and media; and strengthen the legal profession and education in Albania.//