(CMR) Justices of Peace are expected to start serving in the Cayman Islands Summary Court later this year, Chief Justice Margaret Ramsay-Hale has announced.
“In 2024, Justices of the Peace sitting in Summary Courts will become a reality; they will be deployed in the traffic court, which will relieve Magistrates of a significant amount of their current caseloads,” Justice Ramsay-Hale said during the opening of the 2024 Grand Court session on Wednesday.
She, however, admitted that additional court space will be needed to accommodate the JPs.
Justice Ramsay-Hale said the JPs have been getting a course of training in court proceedings, observing proceedings both from the gallery and bench. She said magistrates have devoted time to mentoring the JPs.
She said in partnership with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, training through mock trials and role plays are expected for the first half of 2024.
Meantime, Justice Ramsay-Hale said the district courts were not forthcoming in 2023 as promised because of the lack of town halls to hold court. She said church halls were available, but she did not wish to use church halls for courts.
District Courts were not expected to be a five-day week court, so it would not have been fair to ask the Government for a budget for these courts, the Chief Justice explained.
Reintroduction of court terms
The Chief Justice also announced the reintroduction of court terms with a break expected during the summer to accommodate roof repairs, the training of staff and judges, and to give judges much-needed time off.
She explained that the courthouse roof needs fixing, and it cannot be done while the court is in session.
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