What issues did the High Council of Justice discuss in March

The main findings:

• The Supreme Council of Justice of Georgia made all decisions unanimously, there were no dissenting opinions/questions;
• The Supreme Council of Justice did not publish information about the postponement of the session on the website in advance, within a reasonable period of time;
• Information on the appointment of all sessions was published in violation of the organic law - only 1 working day before, instead of at least 3 working days.

March 2, 2023

Initially, the session was scheduled for February 17. However, after 5 postponements it was finally held on March 2. A total of 29 minutes were devoted to discussion of issues at the session.

The Chairman of the Supreme Council of Justice and the Supreme Court, Nino Kadagidze, did not attend the session.

The Agenda:
1. Letter from the Chairman of the LEPL General Courts Department;
2. Draft Law - "On Amending the Administrative Procedure Code of Georgia";
3. Draft Decree - "On Approving the Rules of Internship and Training Practice in the Supreme Council of Justice of Georgia and General Courts" on amending Decision 1/251 of the Supreme Council of Justice of Georgia of September 18, 2017";
4.  On making changes in some normative acts;
5. On the determination of the composition of chambers/colleges in some district (city)/appeal courts;
6. Organizational issues.

Main issues/decisions discussed at the session:

• The first issue related to the dismantling of Lagodekhi Magistrate's Court and the issues of finding a new building. All members of the Council agreed on the issue of starting the new building for profit;
• The second issue - changes in the Administrative Procedure Code. The representative of the Parliament of Georgia talked about the reasons why it is necessary to make changes in the Code;
• After that, the members of the council discussed changes in the rules of internship in the court;
• The fourth issue was related to making amandments in resolution No. 10 of the Supreme Council of Justice of Georgia "On determining the narrow specialization of judges in the chambers of the Tbilisi Court of Appeal" and in Resolution N9 "On determining of the narrow specialization of judges in the panels of the Tbilisi City Court."
• Issue 5 - "On determining the composition of chambers/colleges in some district (city)/appeal courts" - consideration was postponed, no reason was given;

Since the chairman of the court management department has left his position, the council members discussed the need to announce a competition.
The session also discussed the organization of judges' meetings regarding the analysis of problematic issues and talked about increasing the members of staff in Batumi City, Rustavi City and Kutaisi City Courts, in particular, the members of the council noted that these courts need writer assistants.

March 24, 2023

Initially, the session was scheduled for March 7, but after five postponements, it was finally held on March 24. A total of 20 minutes were devoted to discussion of issues at the session.

Agenda:

1. LEPL - Letter from the Chairman of the Department of General Court;
2. Judge Z. Ramishvili's statement;
3. On making amendments in some normative acts;
4. On the determination of the composition of chambers/colleges in some district (city)/appeal courts;
5. Organizational issues.

Main issues/decisions discussed at the session:

• From March 27, 2023 to April 1, 2023, the judge of the Kutaisi City Court, Ketevan Tkhiladze, was sent to the Tsageri District Court to exercise the powers of a judge, who was at the same time exercising the powers of a judge in the Kutaisi City Court.
• In accordance with the resolution "On the determination of the supplement to the official salary for judges of the general courts of Georgia and the reimbursement of the costs of providing living space"  In March 2023, in addition to the current monthly allowance for the judges of the general courts of Georgia (except the Supreme Court), an allowance of 50% of the official salary was determined.
• The composition of the working group for the purpose of developing comments on the rules of judicial ethics of Georgia was determined as follows:  Dimitri Gvritishvili - judge of the Tbilisi Court of Appeal (head of the group)
  Tamar Zambakhidze - judge of the Supreme Court of Georgia;
  Nino Tarashvili - Judge of Tbilisi City Court;
  Aleksandre Iashvili - judge of Tbilisi City Court.
• The list of candidates who passed the second stage of the competition for the position of the chairman of the Court Management Department of the Supreme Council of Justice of Georgia was also announced at the meeting of the Council;
• At the session, they also discussed about making changes to the Decree No. 1/26 of the Supreme Council of Justice of Georgia dated March 13, 2020, "On the allocation of money for the rental of residential apartments for some judges", since the judge of the Kutaisi Court of Appeal Zaza Ramishvili does not have a residence in the city of Kutaisi.

March 29, 2023

Total of 40 minutes were devoted to discussion of issues at the session.

The agenda:

1. Letter of the Chairman of the General Courts Department;

2. Draft Laws - "On Transplantation of Human Organs", "On Amendments to the Civil Procedure Code of Georgia", "On Amendments to the Criminal Code of Georgia" and "On Amendments to the Code of Administrative Offenses of Georgia";

3. Judge I. Labadze's letter;

4. On making changes in some normative acts;

5. On the determination of the composition of chambers/colleges in some district (city)/appel courts;

6. Organizational issues.

Main issues/decisions discussed at the session:

• LEPL - the letter of the chairman of the General Courts Department was about increasing the rent of the public space owned by the Tbilisi City Court,the owner of the space requested an increase in the price. This issue was partially discussed, but the discussion was postponed, for the reason that the Department of General Courts should continue negotiations with the owner of the space;’
• The amendments provided by the draft laws were related to various issues, including –that the civil procedure legislation should define the model of double consent on the issue of organ transplantation, it was necessary to obtain the consent of the Donation Commission first and then the consent of the court;
• Judge Ia Labadze's letter was about the allocation of fuel money, in particular, since Ia Labadze drives to the Mtskheti District Court every day, she wrote a letter to the Supreme Council of Justice with a request to allocate fuel. This matter was referred to the General Courts Department for review;
• The consideration of the issue of "Amendment to some normative acts" was postponed, no reason was given.
• Giorgi Gelashvili, the judge of the investigative and pre-trial session panel of the Tbilisi City Court, requested to be appointed as a judge of the criminal justice panel, which was unanimously approved. Also, Davit Mgeliashvili, judge of the criminal law panel of the Tbilisi City Court, requested to be Transfered to the investigative and pre-trial session collegium, which was also approved unanimously.
• The organizational issues specified in the agenda were not discussed.

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