Abstract
This Article explores the historical, political, and socio-legal dimensions of the introduction and evolution of jury trials in the Republic of Georgia, framed through the dual lenses of legal pluralism and legal transplantation. It examines Georgia’s historical practices of peer judgment, its adoption of jury trials in the early 20th century, the abolition of jury trials under Soviet rule, and their revival after constitutional reforms in 2004. The study incorporates insights from legal pluralism theory, which emphasizes the influence of indigenous legal traditions and the dynamic interplay of official and unofficial laws. The Article describes the significant role of U.S. financial aid and legal expertise in the contemporary adoption of jury trials but challenges the simplistic narrative of an Americanimposed legal transplant. Instead, the analysis shows that Georgia’s jury system is a layered amalgamation of historical practices, colonial-era legal reforms, and modern democratic aspirations. By integrating sources in both Georgian and English, the Article highlights how preexisting legal customs have shaped the trajectory of jury trials in Georgia and calls for greater methodological attention to local legal histories in comparative law scholarship.