| Searching for Success in Judicial Reform
Preface by Antonio T Carpio and K M Hayne:
"Nations all around the world continually seek to improve their
judicial systems. The word, judicial reform, like globalization,
has entered the vernacular. Those of us who are judges, indeed all
who are associated with courts everywhere, now actively pursue the
goals of improving our individual work and improving our courts
as institutions. We do this because we recognize that our judicial
systems are defining characteristics of the way in which our societies
are governed. The improvements we make in our judicial systems
will have direct effects on fundamental aspects of national stability
and on social and economic progress.
The movement for judicial reform has gathered pace over
recent years. At least in part this has been a response to increasing
demands for the highest standards of integrity, accountability,
professionalism, and efficiency to meet the imperatives of global
trade and interaction. In part it has been urged on by wider and
more informed discussion of human rights, access to justice, and
good governance. Judicial reform is now, and must remain, at the
centre of the stage when there is discussion about progress.
The Asia Pacific Judicial Reform Forum is a network of 49 superior
courts and justice sector agencies across Asia and the Pacific. It is
united by a shared commitment to respond to the challenges of
judicial reform. It was established pursuant to the Manila Declaration
for a 21st Century Independent Judiciary in 2005 and it provides the
means by which challenges, ideas, and experiences can be shared
and explored.
Searching for Success in Judicial Reform: Voices from the Asia Pacific
Experience is the fruit of the Forum’s first project. Its chapters reflect
the priorities which the members of the Forum defined. It is a
resounding achievement for our region to have drawn together the
collective reform experience that is reflected in these pages.
Searching for Success draws these experiences together to present a
unique, practical guide to reform and development of courts across
Asia and the Pacific. The chapters draw on the expertise of some of
the region’s most skilled justices, court administrators, and scholars.
They offer a broad cross-section of case studies and reflections.
Those who seek to develop and execute reform strategies will find
in these chapters new perspectives from which to view the challenges
before them. They will find an account of the ways in which issues
have been dealt with by others. But more than this, they will find
in Searching for Success the inspiration to continue pursuit of the
goals of improving the work that each of us does, and the judicial
institutions wherein each of us serves."
Justice Antonio T. Carpio
Supreme Court of the Philippines
Chair, Project Board
Justice Kenneth Hayne, AC
High Court of Australia
Chair, APJRF Secretariat
The full, searchable text of the publication can be found here: Searching for Success in Judicial Reform
|
