The International Conference on Judicial Independence Jerusalem, Israel 2008

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Draft Outline of the Jerusalem 2008 conference

 

The International Project on
Judicial Independence
International Conference on Judicial Independence
and the Constitutional Position of the Judiciary
Jerusalem, March 18th - 20th, 2008

 

  Jointly organized by the Sacher Institute, Faculty of Law Hebrew University of Jerusalem and
The Centre of Public Law, University of Cambridge

 

With the Support of The Sacher Trust Funds , The Mizock Chair , The Jacobson Foundation



In discussions between colleagues from the University of Cambridge and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem it was decided to launch a project on judicial independence. The project received the support of the Harry and Michael Sacher Institute for Comparative Law and the special research reinforcement program of the Sacher Institute funded by the Jeremy and John Sacher Charitable Trust, the Audrey Sacher Charitable Trust. It was also supported by the Daniel Jacobson Foundation and the Phillip P. Mizock and Estelle Mizock Chair.

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International Conference on Judicial Independence



The Judicial Independence Project organised the First Jerusalem Conference in June 2007 focussing on judicial independence in International Law. The Judicial Independence Project envisaged a second Jerusalem International Conference on Judicial Independence and the Constitutional Position of the Judiciary (the "Second Jerusalem Conference"), to be held on March 18-20, 2008.

The Second Jerusalem Conference will discuss major issues relative to Judicial Independence and the Constitutional Position of the Judiciary, will review the current international standards of Judicial Independence, and propose a revision of these standards. The conference will approve the revised international standards proposal that was prepared by the special conference that was held in November 30th – December 2nd in Zurich Area.

Co-Chairs of the Second Jerusalem Conference will be Professor Christopher Forsyth, Director, Centre for  Public Law at the University of Cambridge, and Professor Shimon Shetreet, Director of Sacher Institute for Comparative Law at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

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Hotel for overseas participants 
Regency Hotel Jerusalem, 32 Lehi St. Jerusalem (Tel: 02-533-1203) near the Mt Scopus Campus of the Hebrew University
Rooms were reserved for 18-23 March for conference days as well as post conference stay so they will be available to participants according to their arrangements and schedule
Rooms were also reserved at Maiersdorf Faculty Club at  Mt Scopus Campus of the Hebrew University.

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Pre or Post conference programs
will be offered to the participants by a local tour agency and the participants will make their own plans according to their discretion and choice. See appendix I. 

Conference Venue   ​
Meiersdorf Faculty Club Mt Scopus   (15 minutes walking distance or 5 minutes taxi ride to Hotel)

Transportation arrangements
From and to  airport
special taxi     will cost 60 dollars (220 Israeli shekels) or
A shuttle           will  cost 15 dollars (about 50 shekels  

 

Sessions and other programs  of the Conference:

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Day 1 – 18.03.08:
Program for overseas guests (visits to the Supreme Court and the Knesset).

18:00-20:30:  Opening session: Judicial Independence, Liberty and Democracy

Social evening.

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Day 2 – 19.03.08
09:00-10:30 – Second session: The contemporary challenges of Judicial Independence

11:00-12:30 – Third session: Contemporary debate on Judicial Independence I: The UK constitutional reforms act.
12:30-14:00 – Lunch break
14:00 – 15:30 – Fourth Session: Issues in the administration of justice.
Social program.
Evening :
Preparatory workshop on the international Standards of Judicial Independence
Will be held in the evening in preparation for the approval next day of the standards
 

Day 3 – 20.3.07
Social program and visit
14:00-15:30- Fifth session: Approval of the revised international standards of Judicial Independence.
1530-1600 Break   
16:00-18:30 – Sixth session: Contemporary debate on Judicial Independence II: The controversy over the reforms n the administration of Justice in Israel.
 

.21 – 23 March :
Post conference programs will be offered to the participants by a local tour agency and the participants will make their own plans according to their discretions.
Participants arriving before the conference can take pre conference tours.

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Draft program of the conference

Tuesday 18 March 2008
 

18:00-20:30 Opening session:
 

Judicial Independence, Liberty and Democracy
 

Co Chairs :
  - Prof. Shimon Shetreet,   Co Chairperson of the conference ,Director, the Harry and Michael Sacher Institute for Legislative    Research and Comparative Law, Faculty of Law, Hebrew University of Jerusalem
-  Prof. Christopher F Forsyth -   Co Chair of the conference, Director Centre of Public Law, Cambridge U.
 

Part I  Greetings and Opening remarks
• Prof. Yoav Dotan, Dean of the Faculty of Law, Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
• Prof. David Feldman – Chairman of the Board,  Faculty of  Law, Cambridge U.  
• Prof. Daniel Friedman  Minister of Justice ,  Israel  
Break and refreshments
 

    Part  II  Lectures 
• Prof. Christopher F Forsyth -   Co Chair of the Conference ,
Director Centre of Public Law, Cambridge U.
• Deputy Chief Justice Eliezer Rivlin   , Israeli Supreme Court  *
• The Hon. Sir Jack Beatson, Judge of the High Court, England

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Wednesday 19 March 2008  
Second Session:  09:00-10:30
 

The contemporary challenges of Judicial Independence
• Chair: Prof. Christopher F Forsyth - Director Centre of Public Law, Cambridge U.
• Professor Asher Maoz, Tel Aviv University
• Prof. Amos Giora College of Law University of Utah
• Prof. Dr. Fryderyk Zoll  Jagelonian University , Krakow *
• Prof. Maimon Schwarzschild, Faculty of Law, University of San Diego *
• Dr. Shuki Segev, Faculty of Law Natanya College  
• Dr. Anat Scolnicov

• Professor Dr. Burkhardt Hess *
• Professor Peter Gilles *

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Third Session: 1100-1230
Contemporary debate on Judicial Independence I: The UK Constitutional Reform Act
• Chair: Dr. Anat Scolnicov  Deputy ,Director Centre of Public Law, Cambridge U.
•  Prof. Christopher F Forsyth - Director Centre of Public Law, Cambridge U.
• The Hon. Sir Jack Beatson, The High Court, England   
• Mr. Neil H. Andrews, Cambridge University.
•  Sir Louis Blom Cooper
• Mr.. Keith Uff, University of Birmingham
•  Prof. Sean McConville, Queen Mary College ,University of London, "The Challenge of Judiciary, The Case of Sentencing in the Trials of Paramilitaries in Northern Ireland.
 

Lunch Break   1230-1400
 

Fourth Session: 1400-1530
Issues in the administration of justice


• Chair: Prof Stephen Goldstein, Prof Emeritus, Faculty of Law, Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
• Prof. Hiram Chodosh Dean College of Law University of Utah
• H.E. Advocate Markus Buechel *
• Dr. Cyrus Das *
• Prof. John Bell *
• Prof. Chandra R De Silva, Dean, College of Arts and Letters at Old Dominion University
"Contemporary Challenges to Judicial Independence in Sri Lanka"
• Prof. Daniel Thurer *
 

Evening
 

Preparatory workshop on the international Standards of Judicial Independence
Will be held in the evening in preparation for the approval next day of the standards

Thursday 20  March 2008
Social program  and visits  
Fifth Session  14:00-15:30
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Approval of the revised international standards of Judicial Independence.
• Chair: Professor Frederico Carpi  University of Bologna ,President International Association of Procedural Law
• Prof. Hoong Phun ('HP') Lee  *
• Prof. Anton Cooray - "Standards of Judicial Behaviour and the Impact of Codes of Conduct".
• Mr. KK  Venogopal
• Prof. Shimon Shetreet
• Prof. Ada Pellegrini "The relevance for Brazil of International Standards of Judicial Independence". 
 

Roundtable discussion on Standards of Judicial Independence of international Judges
• Prof. Ruth Lapidoth, Faculty of Law, Hebrew University of Jerusalem
• Prof. Yuval Shany, Faculty of Law, Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
• Dr.  Tomer Braude, Faculty of Law  Hebrew University 
 

Break 1530-1600
 

Sixth Session: 16:00-18:30
Contemporary Debate on Judicial Independence II: The Controversy over the Reforms in the Administration of Justice in Israel.
• Chair: Prof. David Feldman – Chairman of the Board,  Faculty of  Law, Cambridge U.  
• Former Chief Justice Prof. Aharon Barak Israeli Supreme Court  
• MK Prof. Menachem Ben-Sason, Chairman of the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee. 
• Prof Stephen Goldstein, Prof Emeritus, Faculty of Law, Hebrew University of Jerusalem - "The Rule of Law vs. The Rule of Judges: A Brandeisean Solution".
• Prof. Yoav Dotan, Dean of the Law Faculty, Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Comments
• Prof Gabriela  Shalev President Kityat Ono College *

Contact details
Professor Christopher F Forsyth
Co-Chair International Conference on Judicial Independence 2008
Director, Centre of Public Law
Faculty of Law
University of Cambridge
10 West Road
Cambridge CB3 9DZ
United Kingdom
E-Mail: cff1000@cam.ac.uk
Phone: (01223) 330065

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Professor Shimon Shetreet
General Coordinator, Judicial Independence Project  
Director, the Harry and Michael Sacher Institute for Comparative Law
Faculty of Law, Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Greenblatt Professor of International and Public Law
and Director Sacher Institute
Faculty of Law
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Mt Scopus, Jerusalem 91905

Office:      972-2 5882534, 972-2 5882535
Home:    972-2 5866444
Fax:    972-2 5882565
Cell:    972-544 777185
E-Mail:    mshetree@mscc.huji.ac.il
                 shetreet@gmail.com