The Georgian Parliament has prepared amendments to the “Law on Common Courts” that will significantly change how court decisions are made available to the public and streamline judicial appointments.

Under the new legislation, court documents will only become publicly accessible after final judicial decisions have entered into legal force. The full text of court acts from open hearings will be released as public information following the procedures established by Georgia’s General Administrative Code.

However, strict privacy protections remain in place. The law prohibits anyone from publicly releasing court documents without depersonalization. Depersonalized versions of court acts will be published on websites designated by the High Council of Justice or the courts themselves, but only after final decisions become legally binding.

The amendments also simplify the promotion process for district court judges. The current five-year requirement for judges seeking advancement to appellate courts has been reduced to three years, potentially accelerating career progression within the judicial system.

To improve court management efficiency, the legislation also extends terms for several elected judicial positions:

Supreme Court Grand Chamber members will serve three-year terms instead of two; Supreme Court Disciplinary Chamber elected judges will serve five-year terms instead of three; Supreme Court Qualification Chamber elected judges will serve five-year terms instead of three.