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Judges From Jordan Enhance Judicial Skills at The National Judicial College

By Heather Singer. NJC Communications Specialist

5/9/2008

Seven Jordanian judges spent six weeks at The National Judicial College (NJC) to gain new knowledge on judicial issues in the United States. The experience was part of 10 weeks they spent in the United States, visiting four cities in the Spring of 2008. The program, made possible by the NJC and MASAQ, a USAID rule of law project, was designed to provide a unique and enriching experience combining coursework in numerous technical areas and visits to courts and other judicial institutions to allow the judges to view practical applications of the planned coursework in a variety of settings.

“I think The National Judicial College is a unique place for improving the rule of law,” expressed Judge Mamdouh Yousef Al Najada, one of the seven judges. “I admire the way of teaching here and how the laws differ among different states across the nation.”

The goals of the project were to establish formal agreements between the Judicial Institute of Jordan (JIJ) and United States judicial training providers, including the NJC, for an on going exchange of programs. By experiencing judicial education in the United States, the Jordanian judges will be able to form protocols for the JIJ to implement and initiate future training opportunities for judges in Jordan.

“We enjoy the teaching and education system at The National Judicial College, especially the model courtroom and all of its technology,” said Chief Judge Jawad Ali Al Shawa. Judge Baza’ Sahem Al Majaly added, “We learned new teaching techniques and ways to organize course materials that we can use back in Jordan.”

The training the judges received at the NJC consisted of judicial training courses, working with senior technical experts to develop new curricula using interactive adult learning methodologies and engaging in critical discussions with source experts. Courses taken at the NJC included Enhancing Judicial Bench Skills, General Jurisdiction, Faculty Curriculum and Development and Media Issues for Judges.

“I think The National Judicial College provides unique techniques and modern judicial skills,” said Judge Ayoub Salem Al Swaeer. “The staff has been very cooperative in providing us whatever we will need to conduct courses in Jordan.”

“The National Judicial College has been wonderful,” said Judge Al Majaly. “We feel like we are at home. The staff is giving us all of the information we need.” “It really helps us to have a lot of knowledge about the United States legal system,” added Judge Muntaha Hasan Al Qudah.

In addition to taking courses and programs at the NJC, the judges also participated in judicial meetings in Charleston, S.C., San Francisco, Calif., and Portland, Ore. The judges will use their new skills to conduct judicial training in Jordan as well as to enhance their overallcourtroom performance.

“We will take what we have learned and develop new judicial courses in Jordan,” explained Judge Al Swaeer. “We hope to develop courses in Jordan using the same methods employed at The National Judicial College.”