Image of the event participants in the training situation Albania
A training course on the topic of "Drafting judgments" took place on 30 May 2024 in Tirana, which was implemented by IRZ in cooperation with the School of Magistrates in Albania. The training was aimed at Albanian judges and is part of the strategy to deal specifically with cross-cutting issues and thus provide further training in key skills across all areas of law.
The aim of the event was to train the participants to write consistent, logical and specific reasons for judgements in accordance with the law, to raise awareness of the relevance of this type of reasoning and thus to enable the effective handling of legal disputes. The focus was on the structure of the reasons for judgement, the standards of review by the court of appeal in Albania and the German standards for writing judgements.
The event was organised as part of the institutional grant from the Federal Ministry of Justice. IRZ will continue its constructive cooperation with the Magistrates' School in the area of training and further training for judges in the future.
Regional expert exchange of the Constitutional Courts and Supreme Courts of Kosovo and Albania on the topic "The balance between legality and constitutionality control", December 14, 2023 in Pristina (Kosovo). Kosovo and Albania
The regional exchange between the Constitutional Courts and Supreme Courts of Kosovo and Albania on the balance between legality and constitutionality control took place for the second consecutive time on 14 December 2023. Approximately 80 judges and legal advisors from the four courts participated in the conference held in Pristina (Kosovo).
In her keynote address, Professor Dr Gabriele Britz, former judge at the Federal Constitutional Court of Germany and Professor of Public Law and European Law at Justus Liebig University in Giessen, presented the German approach to balancing legality and constitutional control at the invitation of IRZ. During two panel discussions, the participants delved into selected legal questions, discussed ongoing developments in their case law, and deliberated on the associated challenges.
The cross-border exchange of experiences facilitated dynamic discussions and fostered an environment of mutual trust. The insights from German practice enriched the in-depth analysis of the legal framework, the prevailing case law across the four courts and the examination of established best practices.
Christian Schmitz-Justen, Vice President of the Cologne Higher Regional Court, during his lecture at the Albanian School of Magistrates. Albania
Following on from its long-standing collaboration with the Albanian School of Magistrates, the IRZ took part in a further training event on 21-22 June on the topic of “Electronic evidence in civil proceedings”.
Twelve judges attended the seminar, which was held against the backdrop of the increasing importance of electronic evidence in the Albanian judiciary and the recent amendments to civil procedural law.
The focus of the measure was a comprehensive comparative legal examination of the common practice when dealing with electronic evidence in Albania and Germany and to identify potential solutions and best practices in the daily activities of the judiciary and Public Prosecutors’ Offices in Albania.
Mr. Christian Schmitz-Justen, Vice President of the Cologne Higher Regional Court, participated as the German expert on behalf of the IRZ.
The speakers highlighted the importance and appreciation of electronic evidence in civil proceedings in Albania and Germany with the Albanian team of experts, consisting of Dr. Flutura Kola (Professor at the University of Tirana), Emona Muci (Judge at the Tirana District Court), and Dashamir Kore (lecturer at the School of Magistrates). The different legal practices and administrative structures that emerged in this context provoked some lively discussions among the participants.
Christian Schmitz-Justen also gave a detailed explanation of the role of experts and witnesses in civil proceedings, and then presented the electronic file management and the administrative structure of the Cologne Higher Regional Court. He also discussed the influence of artificial intelligence on case law. On the latter topic, he described the US case Loomis vs Wisconsin, in which a defendant was sentenced to a long prison sentence based on a risk of recidivism that had been calculated using software. Mr. Schmitz-Justen emphasised that the use of artificial intelligence is always accompanied by ambiguity regarding the parameters used, which is why case law in Germany and Europe should remain independent of such technology.
The exchange of comparative legal expertise and experience with the School of Magistrates will continue in the future, funded by the Federal Ministry of Justice.
