Judge Joseph Bellipanni – a U.S. judge with 15 years of experience as a trial court judge –began his long-term shadowing and mentoring of Tbilisi City Court judges specialized in civil and administrative cases. 

Based in the Tbilisi, over the next six months Judge Bellipanni will observe civil and administrative judicial proceedings, hold individual meetings with Georgian judges, and introduce judges to topics of American jurisprudence that are important and of interest to them. 

Judge Bellipanni had an orientation meeting with the USAID Rule of Law Program Chief of Party Giorgi Chkheidze and Deputy Chief of Party Neil Weinstein. Then, on September 12, he met with administrative and civil law judges and staff of Tbilisi City Court, and had a Court tour to learn more about the court structure and case management systems. 

As part of his mission, Judge Bellipanni will also participate in activities planned by the USAID Rule of Law Program to increase the skills of legal professionals in Tbilisi by strengthening and supporting the newly established judges’  practice groups on women’s rights, child rights and freedom of expression. The Program plans to invite additional U.S. judges to conduct similar missions, with American judges expected to begin long-term shadowing assignments in Rustavi and other regions of Georgia.

About Judge Bellipanni:

Judge Bellipanni served for 15 years as a trial court state judge, handling felony criminal cases, complicated civil actions, mental health commitments, probate and will contests, dissolution of marriage proceedings, varied civil and criminal juvenile and family matters. He conducted trials to the court and to juries, and supervised grand jury selection for complex cases. Judge Bellipanni also served as chief judge for 10 years, and was responsible for all aspects of court management, including budgeting and personnel management. 

In 20 years at the Judicial Arbiter Group, he mediated over 2,000 cases of every kind: personal injury, real estate, business breakups, beneficiary disputes, construction defects, complicated business contract disagreements, class action government benefit actions, teacher terminations, and more. He also managed arbitrations which spanned a similar breath of civil actions.

In the international development space, Judge Bellipanni served in a variety of long-term management and short-term advisory roles. These include service as Chief of Party and Senior Judicial Advisor-Director of Programs under the USAID-funded Administration of Justice Support Project in Egypt.