Monday, February 8, 2016

Justice alumni spotlight: Munkh-Erdene Tsend-Ochir, BA Justice '13/Paralegal Certificate '13

Judge Munkh Tsend-Ochir (l) receiving his judicial appointment from
the President of Mongolia, Mr. Elbegdorj.Ts.
Munkh-Erdene Tsend-Ochir, BA Justice '13/Paralegal Certificate '13, was appointed judge for the First Instance Criminal Court of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, by the president of Mongolia in October 2015.  This court deals with less serious crimes, in somewhat the same way that our district courts hear cases about less serious offenses.


Munkh came to UAA from Mongolia where he had earned a Bachelor's of Law degree in 2003 and worked as a defense lawyer. After receiving his UAA Justice degree, Munkh returned to Mongolia and served as the Officer of Foreign Relations and Cooperation for the Ministry of Justice where he was in charge of legal assistance and extradition and transfer of convicts.

He explained the process for applying for a judgeship in Mongolia which includes the following requirements:
  • Minimum 3 years of law practice
  • Minimum Bachelor's of Law degree
  • Passing a written exam on Mongolian law
  • Being interviewed by judicial council members
Judge Munkh-Erdene Tsend-Ochir, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
After passing all the above requirements, names are forwarded to the president of Mongolia for consideration.  These individuals must then pass a background check and be interviewed by the legal council of the president.

Munkh was born in Ulaanbaatar, the capital and largest city in Mongolia. He practiced criminal defense law, and later was a public defender at the Legal Aid Center for Indigent People. Ulaanbaatar is growing quickly as Mongolians move from rural areas to the city to find work, and most of Munkh's indigent clients were from this population.