Solidity and Change Management Paradigm: Key factors for Religious Courts’ progress

 Jakarta, Badilag.net/english (4/9/2009).

Two consultants on Capacity Building Impact Studies of AusAid, Geoff Lacey and Wandy Tuturoong, conveyed their high appreciation on significant progress that Religious Courts have made for the past four years of cooperation with IALDF (Indonesia Australia Legal Development Facility).

The two experts visited Badilag’s office Wednesday (2/9/2009) discussing with the Director General of Badilag (Religious Courts Body), Wahyu Widiana, the impacts of mutual cooperation between Badilag and Australia that has been facilitated by IALDF.

When asked about key factors for Religious Courts’ advancement, Wahyu Widiana mentioned two determinant causes; solidity and change management paradigm.

Former Vice Chief Justice, Drs. H.Taufiq, SH, MH, Heads National Agency of Marriage Counseling

 “Mediation is Top Priority”

Jakarta, Badilag.net/english (28/08).

Agency for Counseling, Fostering and Perpetuation of Marriage (henceforth called as BP4/Badan Penasihatan, Pembinaan dan Pelestarian Perkawinan) which was a semi-official agency in the Department of Religious Affairs has now become a professional socio-religious organization and a partner of the Department in embodying peaceful, loving, and blissful families.

The transformation of the agency can be seen in article 3 of its new statutes established in its 14^th National Congress 2009 in Jakarta. The congress held from June 1-3, 2009 also decided Rules of Association, main working programs for year 2009-2014 and made recommendation for government, law enforcers, Indonesian Broadcasting Commission, Film Censorship Institute, and greater community. (for complete congress' results, click here). 

The congress also elected Drs. H. Taufiq, SH, MH, former Vice Chief Justice, General Chairman of BP4 for the working period 2009-2014. Minister of Religious Affairs through his decree No. 114/2009 dated July 30, 2009 appointed a complete leadership of the agency that was inaugurated on August 17, 2009. (Complete Ministerial Decree, click here).

Supreme Court issues regulation on prodeo cases, making courts more accessible to the poor

Jakarta | Badilag.net/english (27/8)

Supreme Court of the Republic of Indonesia has decreed a regulation (PERMA) No. 02/2009 legalizing the use of the Court’s budget for free waiver for the poor through prodeo cases. The regulation has lifted long-lasting doubt from Religious Courts’ community on using the budget for the poor since article 81 A of Law No. 3/2009 explicitly stipulates that state budget does not bear any fees for settling civil cases.

Article 2 point 4 of the Supreme Court Regulation (Perma) states that “Fees for settling cases through prodeo procedure at first instance courts, appeal and cassation level as well as cases on industry-related disputes, whose claim less than Rp. 150 millions,  are to the state’s guarantee in accordance with the applying laws.”

“This regulation (Perma 2/2009) substantially regulates fees for finalizing cases and their management in the Supreme Court and its lower courts. This was also issued to put into practice stipulation of article 81 A point 5 Law No. 3/2009,” Director General of Badilag, Wahyu Widiana, told badilag.net shortly after receiving the regulation from the Supreme Court’s Registrar Wednesday (26/8).

 ‘Justice for the Poor’: Main Issue of Discussion on IA-LDF Survey

Cate Sumner is presenting key findings of the survey

Jakarta | badilag.net/English (19/08/2009)

Following the discussion on survey findings of Family Law Access and Equity by joint forum between Badilag (Religious Courts Body), Badilum (General Courts Body) and LDF (Legal Development Facility) held at the end of last July (27/8), Directorate General of Badilag carried out a discussion yesterday (18/08) concerning action plans for 4 key findings of the survey.

‘Justice for the poor’ is one of the four main issues emerging in the discussion that involved Chairpersons and Registrars of Religious Courts from greater Jakarta (Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang and Bekasi) and was led by Hidayatullah, with Cate Sumner (Lead Adviser LDF) and Leisha Lister (Executive Adviser to the CEO FCoA) as resources person.

‘Justice for the poor’ is closely related to prodeo cases and circuit court, two legal facilities which have enabled people, who could not afford to come to court due to poverty and long distance, to access to justice.

“The state has to guarantee the people to bring their cases to court,” said Mukti Arto, spokesperson of group I discussing this issue. The state’s guarantee, Mukti said, was to be implemented through state budget for free waiver and circuit court sittings.