Strategy #5 – Change through Courts
Courts interpret laws and adjudicate conflicts in our communities. An independent judiciary bases decisions on laws and regulations rather than political ideologies or pressures. Changing unjust practices through courts is an important strategy for advancing rights. These are the voices of people who sought to promote change through courts.  Please review them and answer the questions in the Listening Guide.
Answer the following about each change-maker:
  1. Who were the parties to the case?
  2. What rights were at issue in the court case?
  3. What was the outcome of the decision?
For further discussion:
  • Why did these activists choose the legal system as a vehicle for making change?
  • What are the implications when the judiciary is not independent?
  • What are the limitations of using the legal system to effect change?
  • Provide a contemporary example of a court decision changing society.
Change-Makers:
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Mary Beth Tinker, United States
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Tina Khidasheli, Georgia
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Baasan Geleg, Mongolia
Change through Courts Listening Guide
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File Type: pdf
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