Bahir Dar, September 29, 2019 E.C. (Amhara Region Supreme Court)
The President of the Amhara Region Supreme Court, Hon. Alemante Agidew, has emphasized that the quality of judicial decisions must be maintained alongside the timely delivery of justice.
He made the remarks during the closing ceremony of the Second Annual Conference of Amhara Region Courts Judges, which was held for ten consecutive days under the theme “Expanding Access and excellence in judicial service.”
Emphasizing the need to balance efficiency with quality in judicial service delivery, Hon. Alemante stated, “A quality decision loses its value to the victim if it is not delivered on time, while a decision delivered on time cannot constitute justice if it lacks quality. Therefore, efficiency and quality must go hand in hand.”
In his address, the President stressed the importance of maintaining a proper balance between judicial independence and accountability. He noted that judges must make decisions free from any form of undue influence, guided solely by the law and their conscience. He also underscored the need to ensure appropriate accountability for problems arising in the judicial process.
Reminding judges that the judicial profession requires more than legal knowledge, Hon. Alemante highlighted the importance of conscience, integrity, and humility. He noted that public trust in the judiciary is built not only through the decisions judges deliver but also through their daily conduct and professional ethics. He therefore urged judges to uphold the dignity of their profession by avoiding corruption and biased practices.
The President identified improving the quality of judicial decisions, particularly at the woreda court level, as a key priority for the coming period. He observed that woreda courts are where the public has its first and most frequent contact with the judicial system. Consequently, he explained, the quality of decisions delivered by woreda courts has a direct bearing on the overall quality of the justice system.
In this regard, he called on high courts to strengthen their supervision and support for woreda courts. He also urged judges to translate the knowledge and skills gained during the conference into practical improvements in their day-to-day work.
To make judicial services more accessible, Hon. Alemante emphasized the need to expand digitalization, strengthen electronic filing and remote court hearing services, and encourage the resolution of disputes through alternative dispute resolution mechanisms. These include reconciliation, traditional mediation, and court-annexed mediation.
He further urged judges to apply the new laws they had studied in their judicial work, strengthen case file management and scheduling procedures, uphold judicial ethics, and treat litigants with humility and respect.
In his closing remarks, Hon. Alemante emphasized that efforts to reform the justice system must be reflected not merely in words but also in the decisions judges deliver every day, their professional conduct, and their commitment to their duties.
