Legal and judicial reform plays an important role within the framework of international development assistance: stable and just legal systems support the promotion of security, equity, and prosperity. The author's goal is to assist those who am interested in designing or working on justice initiatives by contributing to the academic reflection on the strengths and weaknesses of legal and judicial reform initiatives. There is a need for comprehensive and early analyses of the condition, status, and requirements of the governance system where intervention is being considered. Of critical importance in any such analyses is the need for precision first, in describing the elements that constitute legal systems, and, second, in positing useful markets for specific goals. The author proposes indicators of systemic health, while stressing that each indicator will vary in relevance in each country's situation.
