The second meeting of the Justice Coordination Council (bench-bar) focused on adapting contracts to changing circumstances, a pressing issue during the COVID-19 related economic stagnation. Lawyers and judges from different instances, including the judge of the Supreme Court of Georgia Ekaterine Gasitashvili and the Chairperson of the Georgian Bar Association, Davit Asatiani attended the meeting. The event was facilitated by the Georgian Bar Association.

Discussion of the aforementioned topic was very timely, considering the fact that disputes related to contractual obligations affected by COVID-19 are already entering the judiciary system. Participants discussed a number of essential aspects related to contract amendment claims, including the necessity of preliminary negotiation between the parties, burden of proof in such disputes and that modifications to contractual obligations should not imply termination of thereof.

The Justice Coordination Council was established in July 2020 with the support of the Council of Europe and USAID/PROLoG. The activity was organised within the framework of the Council of Europe Project “Support to the Profession of Lawyer in Georgia”, implemented with the support of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Luxembourg, France, Netherlands, Liechtenstein,  Latvia, the Human Rights Trust Fund, and the Fund to End Violence Against Children.