‘Court system cannot conduct trials and deliver judgements within the four-month time’ – Chief Justice says, amid surge in case filing
Jan 16, 2025
By Shania Williams
Kaieteur News- The court system witnessed a significant rise in case filings in 2024, and Acting Chief Justice Roxane George has acknowledged the challenges of conducting trials and delivering judgments within the prescribed four-month timeframe.
She has called for the adoption of alternative dispute resolution methods to manage the increasing caseload. This statement was made during the opening of the Law Year 2025 at the Victoria High Court on Tuesday. The Chief Justice noted that since the launch of the e-litigation portal in January 2024, the court system has seen a rise in appeals and applications filed through the portal. This launch aligns with the Judiciary Strategic Plan 2024-2031, which has facilitated the rollout of the e-litigation system for the Court of Appeal, the Full Court, and the High Court, resulting in 311 appeals and applications being filed.
Acting Chief Justice Roxane George
However, despite the appointment of additional judges and judicial officers in 2024, Chief Justice George emphasised that the court system is struggling to keep up with the volume of cases. “Despite the increase in the number of judicial officers, the court system cannot realistically conduct trials in every case or deliver judgments within the four-month timeframe prescribed by law due to the heavy caseload dealt with by each civil judge,” she stated.
Victoria High Court
Between October 4 and December 31, 2024, a total of 37 appeals were filed in the Full Court, and 1,637 cases were filed in the High Court. The breakdown is as follows: 1,373 cases for Demerara, 377 for Berbice, and 76 cases for Essequibo. “Given the high rate of filings, I again strongly encourage persons to consider resolving their disputes through alternative dispute mechanisms including mediation and restorative justice,” she urged.
In response to the growing caseload, the Chief Justice recommended the need for innovative approaches to improving access to justice. Despite the challenges, she praised the seamless transition to the e-litigation system, calling it a transformative step in the administration of justice.
Looking ahead, the Chief Justice also announced that filing criminal indictments through the e-litigation portal will begin this quarter. Additionally, to further improve efficiency in court administration, the court system plans to introduce electronic human resources and inventory management systems.
Meanwhile, Acting Chancellor of the Judiciary, Yonette Cummings-Edwards, also addressed the issue of the court’s capacity, highlighting the reconstitution of the Judicial Service Commission. This development, she said, has been pivotal in enabling the appointment of 10 High Court judges, nine magistrates, three commissioners of title, and additional legal and support staff in the registry and court recording unit. “It makes us more effective and efficient in addressing the caseloads and in dealing with the many matters that come before us,” the Acting Chancellor said. “There have been increases in the volume of cases filed, and the precious judicial workforce needed to be enhanced to deal with those increases,” the Chancellor added.
(‘Court system cannot conduct trials and deliver judgements within the four-month time’ – Chief Justice says, amid surge in case filing)
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