U.S. SUPPORT FOR SUPREME COURT TOTALS NEARLY $100,000

November 20, 2006

U.S. Ambassador James F. Moriarty today donated law books from the United States worth approximately $75,000 to the Nepal Supreme Court and announced a $16,400 Embassy grant to automate the court’s library.  Including shipping and processing costs, total support is nearly $100,000 – or 72 Lakh Rupees.

The books included a complete set of the Federal Reporter and supplement, and the Supreme Court Reporter Vol. 77 to Vol. 125 (the Court already has Vol. 1 to 75).  They were collected and donated by U.S. Attorney Bill Flanagan and U.S. District Attorney Donald Washington after their visit to Nepal in 2005.  The U.S. Embassy partnered with The Asia Foundation to ship the books to Nepal for the high court. 
 
“The Supreme Court is the ultimate guardian of the law of the land.  You must independently hold all parties accountable to the letter of the law – an extremely difficult task even in times of stability.  It is my honor to support your work in this small but important way by giving a collection of important law books to the Supreme Court library,” Ambassador Moriarty said during a short ceremony at the court.
 
He also announced a grant of $16,400 from the U.S. Embassy’s American Center to reorganize and automate the Supreme Court library.  Automation of the Court’s library will allow judges, court officials, lawyers, and students to better access legal information for case research.  Chief Justice Dilip Kumar Poudel Sharma, on behalf of the Court, received the books and welcomed the library grant.  Nick Langton, Country Representative of The Asia Foundation’s Nepal office, also attended the ceremony.