Training Course Kicks Off on Family Court Trial Procedures

The
Institute of Law (IoL) at Birzeit University organised a training course on ldquo;Trial
Procedures before Family Courts in Palestinerdquo; for practicing and trainee
lawyers in the northern and central West Bank.

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Institute
Director Jamil Salem opened the training course on November 17, 2012 by welcoming
the audience and His Eminence Sheikh Yousef Idrsquo;eis, Chairman of the High
Council of Family Courts, thanking him for the cooperation between the Council
and the Institute.

The
course will ldquo;address significant functions of Palestinian family courts,
including inheritance, lsquo;Khulrsquo; [divorce in return for a monetary compensation
to be paid by a wife to her husband], proceedings in family cases, and code of
professional conduct for family lawyers,rdquo; explained Mr. Salem. The course combines
both theory and practice in a mock trial session.

Sheikh
Idrsquo;eis also spoke, highlighting the distinctive working relationship between
the High Council of Family Courts and the Institute of Law. ldquo;Training [is] pivotal
to enhancing family lawyersrsquo; skills and saving time and effort by both the lawyers
and judges in the exercise of their functions,rdquo; he said.

Sheikh
Idrsquo;eis expressed his hope that the Institute would organise further training sessions
to target family lawyers, particularly in the southern West Bank. Given that
universities do not focus on personal status issues, notably inheritance, he suggested
that training materials on family court functions be included within the Institute-sponsored
Professional Diploma in Legal Practice.

Advocate
Imad Awwad emphasised that the training event would promote skills and build the
capacity of family lawyers. ldquo;The training course addresses procedures before
family courts, paying special attention to developing, processing and
documenting family court judgements in the Palestinian Legal and Judicial
System (AL-MUQTAFI),rdquo; he noted.

During
the opening ceremony, Institute researchers gave a presentation on the
AL-MUQTAFI Family Court Judgement Database. In this course, participating
lawyers will be trained to use the database.

The
training course will be implemented in three days starting November 17, 2012
and ending December 1, 2012.

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