Conducting judicial negotiations as a cross-cutting issue

Participants in the seminar “Preparation and conduct of negotiations in civil procedure” held in Skopje (North Macedonia) on 25 October 2022.
Participants in the seminar “Preparation and conduct of negotiations in civil procedure” held in Skopje (North Macedonia) on 25 October 2022.
North Macedonia

The seminar on “Preparing and conducting negotiations in civil proceedings” organised by IRZ and the Academy for Judges and Public Prosecutors “Pavel Shatev” took place in Skopje (North Macedonia) on 25 October 2022. Antoneta Dimovska, judge at the civil court in Skopje and Prof Dr Jan Orth, LL.M., presiding judge at the Cologne Regional Court, emphasised the importance of extensive preparation and active management of civil hearings.

Judicial conduct of negotiations has multiple effects

They not only help speed up the duration of the proceedings, but also lead to a greater acceptance of the court and its decisions by the parties and thus to the reputation of the judiciary as a whole.

The participants were given practical recommendations, e.g. on how to deal with the parties and legal representatives when dealing with litigation settlements. A practical exercise in small groups on relational techniques rounded off the program.

The two speakers both stressed the importance of an active role for the judiciary in their very engaging presentations. They also responded to their frequently encountered fear of being biased due to preliminary assessments of the legal and factual situation.

The film backed up the discussions and presentations

The premiere of the IRZ training film on judicial negotiation in the Macedonian language was a valuable addition to the presentations and discussions. It also featured Macedonian participants in working visits to Germany organised by IRZ, who described the impressions they had gained and related German practice to that in the courts of North Macedonia.

The event is an example of how IRZ significantly increases the efficiency of the IRZ events with the professional combination of formats and forms of action.