A delegation of officials from Mongolia was in Hillsboro
recently as part of the Asian Judicial Institute (AJI) at Texas Wesleyan
University School of Law. The country adopted a democratic government to
replace the communist regime and continues to work to set up an independent
judiciary as part of its democracy, which was the focus of the latest trip.

Joe Spurlock II, who is a professor at the law school,
hosted the group. He serves as director of the AJI, which was created in 1996
to assist the Mongolians in their transition from communism to a democracy with
Western-style economic principles.

The delegation was led by Dr. Biraa Chimid, G.Ganzorig and
D. Battulga. Dr. Chimid is considered the father of the Mongolian constitution,
and his daughter, Sanzaiya, served as interpreter for the group.

Ganzorig is legal advisor to the president of Mongolia
and former member of the Mongolian Supreme Court, and Battulga is chief of
staff for the president.

The delegation also met with Governor Rick Perry, members
of the Texas Supreme Court and Texas Ethics Commission in Austin during its
trip.

Hill County Judge Justin Lewis, who attends the Fort
Worth law school, made a presentation on the role of the small-claims court in
Texas when the group visited the Hill County Courthouse. The judge explained
that the small-claims court is the “lay-person’s” court in Texas. Rules of
evidence don’t apply in the court, which leads to a quicker resolution of
disputes.

“The group is studying whether such a court would work
better in the tribal regions of the country rather than courts with long civil
processes. It would be similar to the traditional tribal elder making rulings,”
Judge Lewis said recently.