KUWAIT: The United States Department of Justice’s Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT) held a successful three-day continuing legal education program in cooperation with the Kuwait Institute for Judicial and Legal Studies. Over 100 Kuwaiti professionals from the Kuwait Judiciary and Public Prosecutor’s Office attended the program.  The program, “Emerging Issues and the Judiciary,” showcased United States Judges discussing subjects such as the American legal tradition and the power of judicial review, rules of evidence in a digital world, and judicial independence and principals of punishment.

Three United States Judges presented at the program: United States District Judge Andrew S. Hanen (Southern District of Texas), Associate Judge James A. Crowell IV. (District of Columbia, Superior Court), and U.S. Magistrate Judge Mitchel Neurock (Southern District of Texas).  This was the first time that U.S. Judges presented to the Kuwait judiciary.  The program is part of successful ongoing cooperation efforts between the U.S. Department of Justice and the Kuwait Institute for Judicial and Legal Studies.

In his opening remarks, Chargé d’Affaires at the United States Embassy to Kuwait Jim Holtsnider said that “collaboration on these important topics can be achieved at its highest level when professionals and officials who confront these topics can share their experience and grow from them together.” CDA Holtsnider also offered his “sincere gratitude” to Hani Al-Hamdan, Director of the Institute for Judicial and Legal Studies, for “making this wonderful venue available and for hosting this ground-breaking program.”

Councilor Hani Al-Hamdan, Director of the Institute for Judicial and Legal Studies, opened the program by acknowledging the importance of the discussed topics and how the workshop further strengthened the relations between the United States and the State of Kuwait.  He added that the Institute welcomes future cooperation with the US Department of Justice.