Judicial Reform: Re-Examining Basic Assumptions

Over the decade prior to 2002, considerable Western resources had been devoted to judicial reform in Central and Eastern Europe. In many cases these resources had been deployed at the invitation of host countries, and in virtually all cases, the governments had welcomed and supported this judicial reform assistance.

The governments of these newly emerging democracies understood that judicial reform would play a central role in their respective futures. This article argues that in order to continue with that forward momentum, Central and Eastern European governments would benefit from a reflection on what the core principles of democracy are and how those might impact judicial and legal system reform.