Ministry moves to clear case backlog
June 12, 2008
The Ministry of Justice will be accelerating planned strategies to reduce the case pile up in the criminal division of the Supreme Court, a statement issued Tuesday read.
Cabinet, at its recent sitting, gave approval to several wide-ranging proposals to clear the growing list of cases, including the provision of additional courtrooms and the appointment of additional court staff.
Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Dorothy Lightbourne, QC, said the proposed strategies follow intense discussions with stakeholders, including Permanent Secretary Carol Palmer, Chief Justice Zaila McCalla, president of the Court of Appeal, Seymour Panton, Paula Llewellyn, QC, director of public prosecutions, and representatives of human rights organisations.
Case backlog
Jamaica's justice system has suffered from massive case backlog for more than a decade.
Most courtrooms at the Supreme and Home Circuit courts were empty Tuesday as civil and criminal cases were put off for various reasons on Monday.
Jurors who turned out in large numbers for criminal cases were sent home.
The ministry is planning to reduce the number of delayed criminal cases by providing four additional courtrooms at the Supreme Court to deal with criminal matters and shifting civil cases to caucus rooms at the Jamaica Conference Centre....
Author: Gleaner Reporter
Source: Jamaica Gleaner
