The Georgian Parliament has proposed significant amendments to the “Law on Common Courts,” aiming to increase transparency, improve court efficiency, and streamline the judicial promotion process.

Under the proposed changes, court decisions from open hearings will only become public after they have entered into legal force. These documents will be released as public information in accordance with procedures outlined in Georgia’s General Administrative Code.

To safeguard privacy, the publication of court documents remains subject to strict depersonalization rules. Only anonymized versions of final court decisions will be made available to the public through official websites designated by either the High Council of Justice or the courts themselves.

The reforms also shorten the time required for judges to become eligible for promotion. Currently, district court judges must serve five years before advancing to appellate courts. The proposed amendments reduce this requirement to three years, potentially expediting judicial career growth.

In addition, the legislation extends the terms of several key elected judicial positions to enhance stability and efficiency in court operations:

• Members of the Supreme Court’s Grand Chamber would serve three-year terms instead of two.

• Judges elected to the Supreme Court’s Disciplinary Chamber would have five-year terms instead of three.

• Judges in the Supreme Court’s Qualification Chamber would also serve for five years, up from the current three.

These amendments mark a comprehensive effort to balance transparency with privacy and promote a more efficient judicial system in Georgia.