On January 21, at Tbilisi City Court, a mock trial was held with participation of the LAS Tbilisi, Shida Kartli and Samtskhe-Javakheti Bureaus interns. This was the final stage of the 4-month internship program of law clinics.
The interns were divided in the defense party, the prosecution and the court. At the mock trial, they examined the case of premeditated murder committed in aggravated circumstances and demonstrated the practical skills of working on a criminal case, experience on working with legal documents and theoretical knowledge too. The team of Tbilisi Legal Aid Bureau interns (the prosecution) won the case. The director of the Service, Meliton Benidze awarded the interns with the certificates and congratulated them on the completion of the internship.
Mock trial is one of the components of the criminal legal aid program. Besides, according to the program, students who are under supervision of the LAS lawyers, meet with real clients and prepare various legal documents regarding certain criminal cases. They also have opportunity to deal with courts, prosecutor’s office, penitentiary institutions and other state bodies.
The internship program has been implemented for the 9th year now. Every year, up to 30 students of the law faculty of the higher educational institutions of Tbilisi and other regions successfully participate in it.