On February 17, 2023, before concluding his six-month shadowing activity at the end of February, USAID Rule of Law Program-invited American Judge James Redwine held a bench-bar session in Batumi. Among the participants were five judges from Batumi City Court, two judges from Khelvachauri District Court, and eight lawyers from the Adjara region representing the Georgian Bar Association and Batumi Legal Aid Bureau. 

The key focuses of the meeting were supporting constructive dialogue between the main judicial actors to improve the delivery of justice at the local level and introducing procedural initiatives that will reduce case backlogs. In his remarks, Judge Redwine respectfully suggested that the participants make minor procedural modifications of Pre-Trial Orders, Trial Scheduling, Timing Orders, and Time Limits that comply with Georgia’s existing law.

“In planning for this auspicious meeting of judges and lawyers, and with the goal of such collaboration becoming a core building block in Batumi and Adjara for the future, I pondered about some of the issues judges and lawyers can address together. Improvement in the delivery of justice requires careful, respectful, and incremental cooperation.” - said Judge Redwine. 

“Now, I know, we need more judges, more court staff, and better facilities, and those remain long-term goals that the bench and bar can work towards. But, for now, a few painless and inexpensive modifications in procedure might bring great benefits to both citizens and the legal profession. I suggest working committees comprised of a few judges and attorneys could consider such items as I implemented in my court with the support of my bar. Of course, Georgian judges and lawyers must remain in control of their legal procedure.” - he added.

Acting Chairman of Batumi City Court, Jumber Bezhanidze expressed his gratitude to Judge Redwine for his invaluable and extremely positive work over the last six months. “Thank you for sharing American practice related to case management. I believe that the joint efforts of Georgian judges and lawyers might make modest positive modifications in areas such as case processing.''

At the end of the meeting, the parties agreed that they will discuss suggested procedures and address possible court orders at the next nearest bench-bar session. 

In her final remarks, USAID Rule of Law Program Regional Hub Lawyer Irina Khakhutaishvili said: “The meeting was very positive and productive since dialogue between local judges and attorneys is critical to identifying challenges related to the administration of justice in the Adjara region. It was the first time that a session participated in by judges and attorneys of the Adjara region was organized at the local level and we plan to repeat this experience soon. The USAID Rule of Law Program looks forward to fostering cooperation among legal professions in this process.”