As part of Iravaban.net‘s “Armenian judges” interview series, we talked with Shushanik Avagimyan, judge of the General Jurisdiction Court of Kotayk Province. She discussed her choice of profession, the distinctive features of a judge’s work, and other field-related issues.

-Ms. Avagimyan, could you tell us about your choice of profession, how did you decide to become a lawyer?

-I chose the legal profession from a very young age; I had decided that I must definitely become a lawyer when I was very young. Over time and years, my decision became even stronger, and by the time I reached a conscious age, it was clear that I had to become a lawyer, and all subsequent steps led to the fact that this was the only profession that was close to my heart.

-But then you had the opportunity to move in different directions, why did you choose the path of a judge? And if not a judge, which profession would have been close to your heart?

-I started working in the judicial system in 2015. Along with the steps in the judicial system, the ultimate goal was already clear that it should be to take on the mission of a judge. It was very difficult work, and it was a very difficult period when I was working in the judicial system. Numerous civil cases came in, and it was physically impossible to count them, to remember the number, as their number reached 2-3000, and we, working in the judge’s staff, tried to ensure this entire process.

-What do you think, does a judge have the right to make mistakes, and if so, can they continue to administer justice afterward?

-If I answer from a philosophical perspective, everyone has the right to make mistakes, but here the nature, content, and extent of the mistake are essential. I often compare judges and lawyers to doctors, saying that they deal with human lives. Here, the possibility of making mistakes cannot be ruled out, but, nevertheless, it must be reduced to a minimum level.

Details in the video.