Study on Optimization of the Judicial Map in the Republic of Moldova
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STUDY ON OPTIMIZATION OF THE JUDICIAL MAP in the Republic of Moldova STUDY ON OPTIMIZATION OF THE JUDICIAL MAP in the Republic of Moldova Nadejda Hriptievschi, Vladislav Gribincea and Jesper Wittrup This study was produced within the project “LRCM contribution to the implementation of the Justice Sector Reform Strategy: Pillars I and II”, implemented by Legal Resources Centre from Moldova (LRCM). The project was funded by the United States Department of State. The opinions, findings, conclusions and recommendations stated herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Department of State. Chișinău, February 2014 Study on optimisation of the judicial map in the Republic of Moldova Published with the financial support of US Embassy to Moldova within the program to assist in the implementation of the Justice Sector Reform Strategy ( JSRS) for 2011-2016 Copyright © 2014 – Legal Resources Centre from Moldova Legal Resources Centre from Moldova (LRCM) team involved in the elaboration of the study: Nadejda Hriptievschi, Program Director (author of the study) Vladislav Gribincea, Executive Director (author of the study) Ion Guzun, Legal Officer Valentina Purcel, Program Coordinator Pavel Grecu, Legal Officer Ilie Chirtoacă, Legal intern International expert that collaborated with LRCM on elaborating the study: Jesper Wittrup (author of the study) Cover, design and layout: Nicolae Cușchevici Description CIP of the National Book Chamber Study on optimization of the judicial map in the Republic of Moldova / Legal Resources Centre from Moldova (LRCM) ; elab. by: Nadejda Hriptievschi [et al.]. – Chișinău : S.n., 2014 (Combinatul Poligrafic). – 118 p. Published with financial support of US Embassy in Moldova. – 100 ex. ISBN 978-9975-9523-7-8. 34(478) S 93 Contents Executive Summary .................................................................................................7 Acknowledgments ..................................................................................................11 Abbreviations ............................................................................................................13 Chapter I Why optimization of judicial map is beneficial for the Republic of Moldova? .............................................................................15 Chapter II Methodology applied ............................................................................................23 2.1 Overview of the methodology of the study ..........................................................23 2.2 Data used in the study .........................................................................................29 Chapter III Analysis of the allocation of judges and non-judge staff in district courts and courts of appeal .........................................................37 3.1 Allocation of judges .............................................................................................37 3.1.1 Models used for calculating judges’ allocation ...................................................37 3.1.2 Recommendations for allocation of judges in district courts, including specialised courts .............................................................................38 3.1.3 Recommendations for allocation of judges in courts of appeal .............................41 3.1.4 Recommendations for allocation of investigative judges in district courts ...........43 3.2 Allocation of non-judge staff ...............................................................................46 3.2.1 Models used for allocation of non-judge staff ....................................................46 3.2.2 Recommendations for allocation of non-judge staff in district courts ..................48 3.2.3 Recommendations for allocation of non-judge staff in courts of appeal ...............52 Chapter IV District courts’ merger analysis .......................................................................55 4.1 Merger analysis overview .....................................................................................55 4.2 Merger of district courts – three scenarios ...........................................................58 4.3 Opinion on placing several courts in Chișinău in one court house (Palace of Justice) ...................................................................86 6 Contents Summary of the main conclusions and recommendations ................89 Annexes .......................................................................................................................95 Annex 1: Average workload per judge in district courts and courts of appeal for 2010-2012, not divided by complexity levels .........................................95 Annex 2: Average workload per judge in district courts and courts of appeal for 2010-2012, divided by complexity levels ...............................................97 Annex 3: Judicial map after district courts’ merger, Scenario 1 ................................100 Options 1 ...................................................................................................100 Options 2 ...................................................................................................101 Annex 4: Judicial map after district courts’ merger, Scenario 2 ................................102 Options 1 ...................................................................................................102 Options 2 ...................................................................................................103 Annex 5: Judicial map after district courts’ merger, Scenario 3 ................................104 Options 1 ...................................................................................................104 Options 2 ...................................................................................................105 Annex 6: International best practices for measurement of court efficiency, allocation of staff, and assessment of court structure .................................106 — ∙ — Table 1: Results regarding allocation of judges in district courts, including specialised courts ..........39 Table 2: Results regarding allocation of judges in courts of appeal ...................................................41 Table 3: Results regarding allocation of investigative judges in district courts ................................44 Table 4: Results regarding allocation of non-judge staff in district courts, including specialised courts, based on exact number of recommended judges .......................48 Table 5: Ratio of non-judge court staff per judge in district courts (ratio model for assigning non-judge court staff ..............................................................50) Table 6: Results regarding allocation of non-judge staff in district courts, including specialised courts, based on ratio model ...............................................................51 Table 7: Results regarding allocation of non-judge staff in courts of appeal, based on exact number of recommended judges ..................................................................53 Table 8: Ratio of non-judge staff per judge in courts of appeal (ratio model for assigning non-judge court staff ..............................................................53) Table 9: Results regarding allocation of non-judge staff in courts of appeal, based on ratio model ..........................................................................................................54 Table 10: District courts’ merger Scenario 1, options 1 and 2 ............................................................59 Table 11: Scenario 1, option 1 for district courts’ merger ...................................................................64 Table 12: Scenario 1, option 2 for district courts’ merger ...................................................................65 Table 13: List of district courts according to Scenario 1 .....................................................................66 Table 14: District courts’ merger Scenario 2, options 1 and 2 ............................................................68 Table 15: Scenario 2, option 1 for district courts’ merger ...................................................................73 Table 16: Scenario 2, option 2 for district courts’ merger ...................................................................74 Table 17: List of district courts according to Scenario 2 .....................................................................75 Table 18: District courts’ merger Scenario 3, options 1 and 2 ............................................................77 Table 19: Scenario 3, option 1 for district courts’ merger ...................................................................83 Table 20: Scenario 3, option 2 for district courts’ merger ...................................................................84 Table 21: List of district courts according to Scenario 3 .....................................................................85 Executive Summary The study on optimization of the judicial map in the Republic of Moldova was produced within the project of the Legal Resources Centre from Moldova (LRCM) – “LRCM contribution to the implementation of the Justice Sector Reform Strategy: Pillars I and II”. The project included two additional studies: the study on specialization of judges and feasibility of creating administrative courts in the Republic of Moldova and the study on optimisation of the structure of the prosecution