Overall flaws in the justice system relate to poor case management, legal uncertainty due to the inconsistency of judicial practice in interpreting cases based on case law, the absence of standard data collection and court performance evaluation systems, and lack of oversight of judicial processes. The growing caseload creates delays in court proceedings, some of which may last as long as 10 years.

The USAID-funded Justice Sector Support Project (JSSP), implemented by DPI in partnership with MSI, builds on the momentum of the peaceful political transition and aims to support the government’s political will in realizing its justice sector reform agenda. The project supports targeted institutions and works with key stakeholders, including the Ministry of Justice (MOJ), university law schools, and the Judicial Academy. Together, they are working to  increase accountability and advance the functional independence and effectiveness of the judicial branch.

Assistance is helping the Government of Armenia to modernize internal case management systems through e-court solutions, improve the judiciary’s professional and court administration skills, promote alternative dispute resolution mechanisms to alleviate court backlog, and propose swift resolution to cases.  

The project also works to build the capacity of the Supreme Judicial Council, a self-regulatory agency responsible for judicial testing, candidate selection, hiring and disciplining.  It is also advancing law school education and professional training in specific legal and regulatory areas, and strengthening the legal and regulatory environment through monitoring, communication, and stakeholder collaboration over the project’s life.

MSI, A Tetra Tech Company, has a rich history supporting Rule of Law and Government Accountability projects worldwide. JSSP follows several similar projects, including the USAID-funded PROJUST project that assisted Mexico and its federal authorities in effectively consolidating the accusatory justice system. It also builds upon local experience in implementing USAID’s Office of Transition Initiatives Armenia Support Initiative, a three-year activity (2019-2022) that supported the government’s reform agenda.  MSI has also worked efforts to combat corruption and bolster human rights and civil society in Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine.