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For Immediate Release

Contact: The Honorable Alan G. Davis
Chief Magistrate
Delaware Justice of the Peace Court
1-302-856-5871
http://alan.davis@state.de.us

Wilmington, Delaware— Five Russian leaders participating in the Open World
Program will spend December 12-20, 2009, examining Delaware’s criminal and civil
justice systems. The Delaware Justice of the Peace Court was selected to host the
delegation due to its similarity in jurisdiction. Managed by the independent Open World
Leadership Center at the Library of Congress, Open World is designed to enhance
understanding and capabilities for cooperation between the United States and the
countries of Eurasia and the Baltic States by developing a network of leaders in the
region who have gained significant, firsthand exposure to America’s democratic,
accountable government and free-market system.

The visiting delegates are Nikolay Ivanovich Antonov a Justice of the Peace in
the Muyezerskiy Judicial District in the region of Karelia; Oksana Aleksandrovna
Chernomordova a Justice of the Peace in the 13th Judicial District in the Leningrad
region; Svetlana Aleksandrovna Mikheyeva a Justice of the Peace in the 10th Judicial
District in the region of Karelia; Valentina Anatolyevna Smirnova a Justice of the Peace
in the 71st Judicial District in the Leningrad region and Sergey Leonidovich Vinogradov a
Justice of the Peace in the 56th Judicial District of the Leningrad region. Oksana
Aleksandrovna Nosova from Roston-on-Don in the Rostov Oblast accompanies them as
a facilitator.

While in Delaware, the delegates will observe court proceeding and case
processing in the Justice of the Peace Court and the Family Court, meet with Delaware
Governor Jack A. Markell, Supreme Court Chief Justice Myron T. Steele and the Justices
of the Supreme Court, attend a one day educational program at Widener University
School of Law, and meet with representatives of the Department of Justice and the Office
of the Public Defender. The delegation will examine issues of customer service,
technology in the courtroom, and improvements in high volume case processing.
“The Delaware Justice of the Peace Court is honored to have been selected to host
this delegation through Open World and the Russian American Rule of Law
Consortium”, said Chief Magistrate Alan G. Davis. “We look forward to not only sharing
a view of our case management and judicial processes, but also learning how our Russian
counterparts perform the essential function of an initial jurisdiction court.”
Home stays will allow the Open World delegates to experience American family
life. They will also take part in several cultural and community activities, including the
Investiture of Newly Admitted Delaware Attorneys, a tour of the world renowned
Longwood Gardens, and a visit to Lewes and Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.
The Open World Leadership Center has awarded a grant to the Russian American
Rule of Law Consortium of Colchester, Vermont to administer this and similar exchanges
in 2009.

The U.S. Congress established Open World in 1999 to enhance understanding and
capabilities for cooperation between the United States and Russia. In 2003, Congress
made all post-Soviet states eligible for the program. Thanks to Open World, some
14,000 current and future Eurasian leaders have experienced American civil society and
have been exposed to new ideas and practices that they can adapt for use in their own
work. Open World also promotes partnerships and continued communications between
delegates and their American hosts and professional counterparts. Open World currently
operates exchanges for political and civic leaders from Russia, Ukraine, Moldova,
Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan.
For more information, please contact Chief Magistrate Alan G. Davis at 302-856-
5871 or Maura Shelden, Open World Public Affairs Officer at 202-707-6197. For more
information on Open World, please visit http://www.openworld.gov. For more
information on the Delaware Justice of the Peace Court, please visit
http://www.courts.delaware.gov/courts/justice%20of%20the%20peace%20court

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