US embassy cable - 02AMMAN7128

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 007128 
 
SIPDIS 
 
CORRECTED COPY 
 
STATE FOR NEA-LCHENEY, NEA/PPD-MACINNES, GAFFNEY, 
BOURGEOIS, NEA/ ARN-SZIADEH, ECA/P/CE/NEA-TJOHNSTON, 
AID FOR ANE/MEA-WOLIVER, AMOUSTAFA, ANE/SEA-RGOLD 
 
TAGS: OIIP, OEXC, PGOV, PHUM, KPAO, JO 
SUBJECT: MINISTER OF JUSTICE PRAISES PA JUDICIAL REFORM 
RESULTS 
 
REF: STATE 232792 
 
1. SUMMARY: POINTING TO A RECENT REPORT FROM HIS STAFF, 
MINISTER OF JUSTICE H.E. FARES AL NABULSI SHARED WITH 
EMBOFFS DURING A RECENT VISIT STATISTICS DEMONSTRATING 
WIDESPREAD ACCEPTANCE OF NEW CASE MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES 
FOR PROCESSING CIVIL CASES WITH DRAMATIC RESULTS.  HE 
CREDITED THIS DEVELOPMENT TO PROGRAMS WHICH PA--WITH 
SUPPORT FROM CITIZENS' EXCHANGES, INTERNATIONAL 
VISITORS, AND AID--HAS BEEN CONDUCTING WITH THE 
MINISTRY IN RECENT YEARS.  THE MINISTER BEAMED AS HE 
CITED THE STATISTICS:  IN THE FIRST MONTH ALONE, 50 
PERCENT OF CIVIL CASES PROCESSED THROUGH CASE 
MANAGEMENT WERE MOVED ONTO A "FAST TRACK" WHICH SHOULD 
RESULT IN THEIR RESOLUTION WITHIN FOUR TO SIX MONTHS AS 
OPPOSED TO THE MORE NORMAL ONE TO TWO YEARS.  EXPEDITED 
COURT DECISIONS IN CIVIL CASES IS ONE OF THE GOJ'S AND 
THE MISSION'S PRIMARY GOALS IN STRENGTHENING RULE OF 
LAW AND CONFIDENCE IN THE JUDICIARY BY BOTH CITIZENS 
AND ENTREPRENEURS.  THIS PROGRAM STRONGLY SUPPORTS THE 
MISSION'S MEPI GOAL OF STRENGTHENING DEMOCRATIC 
INSTITUTIONS IN JORDAN.  THE MINISTER HAS PERSONALLY 
REQUESTED THAT WE EXTEND AND EXPAND THE PROGRAM.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
2. CASE MANAGEMENT: FASTER DECISIONS. 
PAO, CAO AND CULTURAL SPECIALIST MET WITH JORDAN'S 
MINISTER OF JUSTICE, H.E. FARES AL NABULSI ON NOVEMBER 
13, 2002 TO DISCUSS SELECTION OF CANDIDATES FOR THE 
NEXT SEGMENT OF AN AED-ADMINISTERED EXCHANGE PROGRAM 
FOCUSING ON CASE MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES.  THE MINISTER, 
WITH VISIBLE DELIGHT, BRANDISHED THE RESULTS OF A PILOT 
CASE MANAGEMENT PROJECT INITIATED AFTER AN EARLIER 
SEGMENT.  EXPRESSING HIS ASTONISHMENT AND PLEASURE OVER 
THE POSITIVE RESULTS (IN THE VERY FIRST MONTH OF THE 
PILOT PROJECT, THE TWO PILOT JUDGES HAD BEEN ABLE TO 
REFER ALMOST 50% OF THEIR CASES DIRECTLY TO A TRIAL 
JUDGE VIA A "FAST TRACK" THAT WILL CUT CASE TIME TO NO 
MORE THAN HALF A YEAR INSTEAD OF THE MORE NORMAL ONE TO 
TWO YEAR PERIOD; TWO CASES HAD ALREADY BEEN RESOLVED), 
THE MINISTER REAFFIRMED HIS FULL SUPPORT FOR 
CONTINUATION OF THESE PD-INITIATED JUDICIAL REFORM 
PROJECTS, AND REQUESTED POST TO PROPOSE ADDITIONAL 
PROJECTS FOR JUDICIAL PARTICIPATION. 
 
3. EXCHANGE VISITS OVERCOMES DOUBTS. 
THE MINISTER NOTED THAT MOVEMENT ON INSTITUTING CASE 
MANAGEMENT HAD BEEN HELD UP FOR OVER A YEAR BECAUSE OF 
VARIOUS MISGIVINGS AND DOUBTS AMONG SENIOR JUDGES ABOUT 
TRYING SOMETHING "FOREIGN AND NEW", AND ADDED THAT THE 
TRAINING PROGRAMS ARRANGED THROUGH EMBASSY'S PA SECTION 
HAD BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN SWAYING OPINIONS IN FAVOR OF 
THE PILOT PROJECT.  HE SMILED AS HE POINTED OUT THAT 
THE CURRENT HEAD OF THE JUDICIAL COUNCIL, JUDGE 
MOHAMMAD SAMED AL RAQQAD, IN HIS PREVIOUS CAPACITY ON 
THE COMMITTEE DRAFTING AMENDMENTS TO JUDICIAL 
PROCEDURES, HAD ORIGINALLY BEEN AGAINST CASE 
MANAGEMENT.  AFTER A POST-SPONSORED VISIT TO THE U.S. 
LAST YEAR, THIS INDIVIDUAL EXPERIENCED A CHANGE OF 
HEART AND IS NOW A FIRM SUPPORTER OF THIS JUDICIAL 
REFORM INITIATIVE.  JUDGE AL RAQQAD WILL BE HEADING THE 
JUDICIAL DELEGATION VISITING THE U.S. DECEMBER 8-22, 
2002. 
 
4.BUCKS FOR THE BANG. 
FUNDING FOR POST'S ONGOING JUDICIAL REFORM INITIATIVES 
HAS COME FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES, INCLUDING 
SUBSTANTIAL SUPPORT FROM CITIZEN'S EXCHANGES AND THE IV 
PROGRAM.  THE TWO PROGRAMS MENTIONED ABOVE, ONE 
COMPLETED AND ONE TO BEGIN IN DECEMBER, WERE FUNDED VIA 
A PASS-THROUGH FROM THE MINISTRY OF PLANNING TO THE 
MINISTRY OF JUSTICE FROM THE LOCAL CURRENCY ACCOUNT, 
WHICH IS PART OF USAID'S ASSISTANCE TO JORDAN. 
 
5. CURRENT AND UPCOMING PROJECTS IN THE SERIES INCLUDE: 
 
OCTOBER 2002 - CONTINUING:  ENGLISH LANGUAGE TRAINING 
FOR NEWLY SELECTED JUDGES.  (WE SEEK FUNDING TO EXPAND 
TRAINING TO A WIDER POOL OF JUDGES AND LAWYERS.) 
 
DECEMBER 8-22, 2002 - 10 JUDGES WILL TRAVEL TO THE U.S. 
ON AN AED ADMINISTERED PROJECT FOCUSING ON CASE 
MANAGEMENT AND SIMILAR TECHNIQUES.  (FUNDED VIA THE AID- 
PROVIDED LOCAL CURRENCY ACCOUNT.) 
 
JANUARY 2003 - FOLLOW-ON PROGRAM WITH ISDLS OF SAN 
FRANCISCO FOR TRAINING IN JUDICIAL MEDIATION, A 
PRIORITY ISSUE FOR THE MINISTRY.  (FUNDED VIA A 
CITIZENS' EXCHANGES GRANT.)  BERRY