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LEGAL AID COUNCIL

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For the management of Legal Aid Service, effective implementation of its functions, ensuring its independence and transparency a collegial body – Legal Aid Council (thereafter - Council  is created. The Council is composed of 9 members

  • 3 members are elected by executive council of Georgian Bar Association
  • 3 members are elected by Public Defender
  • 1 member is elected by Legal Aid Bureaus from the lawyers of Legal Aid Bureaus.
  • One member is selected by Minister of Justice from the staff of the Ministry of Justice
  • One member is selected by High Council of Justice from Members of High Council of Justice.

The member of the Council is independent in his/her activity. The activity of the member of Legal Aid Council is not compensated. Mandate of the Legal Aid Council is for 4 years, with the exception of the member of the Council selected from Legal Aid Bureaus. The latter shall be elected for 1 year period.

One and the same person may be elected as a member of the Council consecutively only twice, with the exception of the member of the Council which is simultaneously the lawyer of Legal Aid Bureau. The sessions of the Council are public except for the cases when due to the nature of the issue under examination, the Council deems appropriate to hold the session in camera. The Council meets regularly at least once in two months.

The Council is empowered to take decision if at least two third of its members are present. The Council takes decision with majority of the votes of the members present at the session. However, in certain types of cases, the decision can only be taken by two third of the full Council. If the votes split, the vote of the Chairman shall be decisive.

Main functions of the Council are: the election of the director of Legal Aid Service and relevant cases his/her pre-term termination of office; the approval of strategy of Legal Aid Service and monitoring of its implementation; the approval of relevant regulations of Legal Aid Service and legal aid Council; creation and abolition of legal aid bureau/consultation center and setting of its jurisdiction; the approval of list of positions of Legal Aid Service; hearing of financial reports of the director about the operation of Legal Aid Service at the end of each budget year, and etc.

The Council is assisted by the secretariat. The list of positions of the secretariat is approved by the Council; the staff of the secretariat are appointed and dismissed by the director; the staff of the secretariat are the staff of Legal Aid Service;

From its members the Council elects the chairman of the Council for the period of one year; The chairman is elected by majority of full composition of the Council; one and the same person may be elected as the chairman only twice consecutively.