Global Courts Directory Initiative

International Judicial Institute for Environmental Courts and Tribunals (IJIECT) In cooperation with the IUCN Commission on Environmental Law Preston Hall 212 Pace Law School 78 North Broadway White Plains, New York 10603 USA +1 (914) 422-4209 www.law.pace.edu/IJIECT

Dear Colleague:

We are writing to invite your participation in an unprecedented international initiative to build a global network of environmental courts, tribunals and green benches. This network is an initiative of the new International Judicial Institute for Environmental Courts and Tribunals (IJIECT, or the Institute), an institute designed to promote the rule of law in environmental courts and the sharing of ideas on how to accomplish this goal. In conjunction with a publication due in September 2010, we are compiling an international directory of environmental courts and tribunals, and we hope that you choose to participate.

The survey below is the first step towards a comprehensive international network of environmental courts. The information you provide will only be used for the Directory, and the Directory will be publicly available without charge on the Institute website and available in print upon request. By answering the following questions, you are acknowledging that the Institute may include your information in its Directory and are authorizing us to do so. Please respond to whichever questions you find appropriate.

Information on the Institute is attached. If you need further information, please contact us at IJIECT@law.pace.edu, or +1 (914) 422-4122.

 

Very truly yours,

Professor Nicholas A. Robinson University Professor for the Environment, Gilbert and Sarah Kerlin Distinguished Professor of Environmental Law Pace University School of Law (IUCN)	Hon. Hilario G. Davide, Jr. Former Ambassador & Permanent Representative of the Republic of the Philippines to the United Nations Former Chief Justice, Supreme Court of the Philippines
Professor Richard Macrory Professor of Environmental Law University College London (UK)	Hon. Merideth Wright Judge, Vermont Environmental Court (USA)

_______________________________________________________________________________________

 

Please provide the following information:

Court/Tribunal Name:

Address:

Telephone:

Fax:

Email address:

Skype Account (if any):

Website (if any):

1. Please identify for us who is filling out this form and provide that person’s contact information. If this is not the person we should contact for future Institute business, please let us know who we should contact.

 

2. Please provide us with the statute, law, regulation, or other document that establishes the authority for your court/tribunal (either in hard copy or a link to the document on the internet).

 

3. Please provide us with the procedural rules for your court/tribunal (either in hard copy or a link to the document on the internet).

 

4. What type of law does your court/tribunal apply to environmental cases? (check all that apply)

Civil Law
Criminal Law
Administrative Law
Other (please explain):

5. Does your court/tribunal issue its decisions in writing? If so, do you issue written decision for all matters, or are some decisions rendered only orally? Where can written decisions from your court/tribunal be obtained?

 

6. Please describe the composition of your court/tribunal by listing the positions and titles of its members. Additionally, please list the names of sitting members.

 

7. How many environmental cases are filed in your court/tribunal in an average year?

 

8. Which of the following most accurately describes your court/tribunal?

Trial Court/Court of First Instance
Appellate Review
Administrative Tribunal
Special Appointment (please elaborate):

 

From your court/tribunal, to what judicial entity do parties appeal your decisions?

 

9. Which of the following entities can bring or initiate a matter in your court/tribunal? (check all that apply)

Governmental agencies
Individual citizens
Non-Governmental Organisations
Land-Developers
Land-Owners
Corporations
Foreign Corporations
Foreign Non-Profit Organisations
Other (please explain): in):

 

Are there prerequisite qualifications for the entities to become parties bringing actions? For example, who can bring permit appeals? Who can bring enforcement proceedings?

 

10. Can any other parties appear or participate in matters before you, through intervention or otherwise?

 

11. Does your court/tribunal have the authority to compel the government to act on certain matters? If so, please explain. Does your court/tribunal have the authority to compel individuals or corporations to act on certain matters? If so, please explain:

 

12. What remedies can your court/tribunal order? (check all that apply)

Civil Money Penalties (fines)
Criminal Money Penalties (fines)
Criminal Incarceration (imprisonment)
Injunctions or other remedial orders
Specific Performance or Specific Action
Other (please explain):

 

13. Does your court use alternative dispute resolution programs, such as mediation? Are any such programs required, promoted, or court-sponsored? If so, does your court provide mediators?

 

Thank you for your time.