The plan to Kuwaitize the judiciary has greatly accelerated recently, according to a clear and specific methodology, pointing out that this plan is being implemented seriously now, by giving the opportunity to qualified Kuwaiti graduates of the Faculty of Law after their qualification, as well as enabling more female cadres to work in the judiciary and public prosecution.
The source pointed out to Al-Qabas that the transition to Kuwaitization of the judiciary began with the appointment of batches of male and female agents of the Public Prosecution, as 3 batches are now accepted each year, unlike the previous one, as the door was opened once every 3 years.
The source touched on what the head of the judiciary, Counselor Muhammad bin Naji, previously told the daily, regarding the development of comprehensive studies for the development and Kuwaitization of the judiciary, stressing that this matter was recently achieved through the arrival of a foreign delegation to Kuwait, through the IDLO organization, to which the Kuwait Fund contributes and finances.
For development, meetings were held with the heads of the Courts of First Instance, Appeal, and Cassation, and the Ministry of Justice, to see the situation in the judiciary and what it needs, and then a comprehensive study was drawn up for development and Kuwaitization.
The source added that the Kuwaitization plan started through the Public Prosecution and the Court of First Instance, but the Kuwaitization of the appeals and cassation circuits is currently facing difficulties and requires a longer time, because the cadres we have cannot be easily dispensed with, as they have great experience, and the judiciary needs them.
The source stressed that work is currently taking place according to a clear, comprehensive vision and plan in developing the judiciary in all its aspects, pointing to accelerated steps to review the administrative work system and litigation procedures, in order to face many obstacles, most notably the accumulation of appeals in the courts, stressing that the biggest challenge is “delay” in hearing appeals before the courts of cassation.
When asked if this matter is sufficient for the required number, a source replied, saying: It is not the exact number required, because the higher the number, the higher the number of cases that need judges and counselors.
The matter will be achieved, but it is not in a short time, and it is not easy. The source added to Al-Qabas that the issue of Kuwaitization will start through the Public Prosecution and the Court of First Instance, but before the appeals and cassation circuits, the matter is facing difficulty, and it needs not a short time, because the cadres we have cannot be easily dispensed with, as they have great experience and the judiciary needs them.
The source pointed out that the ease of litigation and the lack of obtaining nominal fees contributed greatly to the increase in cases, as the matter does not always reflect the culture of litigation. Rather, “there is a small percentage of those who want to take revenge on their opponents, knowing that their cases are lost.
They file cases with the aim of (dragging the opponent before the courts), and the reason is that filing the case is free of charge, unlike some Gulf countries and others. The source pointed out that there is clear evidence regarding the issue of direct appeals before the constitutional courts, from which financial fees of 5 thousand dinars are collected for each person who wishes to appeal directly without resorting to other courts, indicating that the percentage of those who have appealed before the “constitutional court” since the implementation of the law is small.
The source stated that a new batch of public prosecutors will be appointed soon, after conducting tests and interviews, from graduates of the Faculty of Law, indicating that this will enhance the Kuwaitization plan.
The source pointed out that 58 prosecutors, including 15 women, who were recently sworn in before the President of the Supreme Judicial Council, Counselor Muhammad bin Naji and the Attorney General, Counselor Saad Al-Safran, have proven their competence since their appointment, and they perform their work efficiently in public prosecutions, and they participate in many cases.
The source pointed out that the acceptance of females in all batches, explaining that the criterion is superiority, not gender, indicating that Kuwaiti women have distinguished themselves in the judiciary and public prosecution, and have proven their worth in the cases they investigated.
7 continuous steps that have been taken
— Rehabilitation of national cadres to work in the judiciary
— Acceptance of new batches of prosecutors
— Appointing more female law graduates in the Public Prosecution office
— Comprehensive development of the judiciary and public prosecution facilities
— Developing litigation procedures and eliminating the documentary cycle
— An advanced mechanism for settling cases before the courts
— Reviewing the administrative work system to face the backlog of appeals