Supreme Court judges took part in a judicial education programme at the invitation of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation

Supreme Court Judge of the Commercial Cassation Court Yehor Krasnov, Supreme Court Judge of the Administrative Cassation Court Nataliia Kovalenko and Supreme Court Judge of the Civil Cassation Court Viktor Prorok took part in the international Judicial Education Programme organised by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation in partnership with Presidential Precinct, an international educational centre that promotes democracy, the rule of law and judicial independence worldwide.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation conducted a competitive selection process among 800 applications for participation in the programme, which brought together 25 judges and magistrates from 18 countries around the world, and selected three representatives of the Supreme Court.

The aim of the programme was to promote the understanding that a fair and accountable judiciary is not only a right, but also a responsibility of every democratic state. The programme combined theoretical training with practical components, promoting critical thinking, ethical decision-making, and an in-depth understanding of the rule of law.

The programme started in Washington, DC, where the participants visited the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation office and took part in the introductory session "Voices from the Bench: Global Judicial Dialogue" dedicated to challenges and reforms in judicial systems around the world. The judges also visited the U.S. Supreme Court, where they met with U.S. Supreme Court Justice Neil M. Gorsuch to discuss the rule of law and judicial independence. In addition, representatives of the Supreme Court of Ukraine got acquainted with the work of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, attended a hearing in a criminal case, and visited the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, where they met with Senior Judge Bohdan Futey, who donated his book "My Story: To Reach the Unreachable Star!" to the Supreme Court library.

Further training took place in Charlottesville (Virginia, USA) at the University of Virginia, James Madison's Montpelier Estate, the National Center for State Courts (NCSC), the Federal Judicial Center (FJC), and the Miller Center. The Supreme Court judges took part in a number of thematic events and forums: "Judicial Independence in a Changing World" (Duke University), "Justice on the Global Stage" (with the participation of the World Justice Project and Freedom House) and "Global Security and the Rule of Law" (Miller Center), dedicated to the role of courts in ensuring independence, accountability and the rule of law in the global dimension.

Training modules at the University of Virginia covered issues related to jury trials, criminal justice, economic aspects of constitutional law, litigation strategies, legal clinics, as well as seminars on judicial ethics, accountability and transparency. The participants discussed disciplinary procedures, codes of judicial conduct, court administration, and Dr Diane Robinson's research on the digitalisation of the judiciary.

During the discussions, the participants paid special attention to the issues of ensuring the resilience of the Ukrainian judicial system in the context of military aggression, public trust in justice, and prospects for international cooperation in the field of judicial education and development of legal culture.

The programme contributed to deepening the understanding of the rule of law, strengthening the institutional resilience of the judiciary, building trust in the judiciary, and establishing international relations and partnerships.

As a result of the programme, the participating judges from different countries also decided to establish an organising committee to launch an institutional mechanism to ensure judges' rights and judicial independence around the world.