-says expanded bench, additional courtrooms helping accelerate hearings and rulings
ATTORNEY-GENERAL and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, has said that the backlog of cases at the Court of Appeal is now being actively addressed through an expanded judiciary and increased court activities.
He made this known during an airing of his weekly programme, ‘Issues in the News,’ during which he said the appointment of additional appellate judges and the introduction of a second courtroom have significantly increased the court’s capacity to hear matters.
“I do know that since we have appointed, I believe, 10 judges to that court, we have one vacancy, I believe, left,” Nandlall said.
According to the Attorney-General, the schedule of the Court of Appeal has become increasingly rigorous, with cases and appeals now being heard more frequently.
“The schedule of that court has become very rigorous, and lawyers and litigants will tell you that they have received a series of notifications or fixtures for cases and appeals being heard every day or at frequent intervals,” he said.
Against this backdrop, he stated that the increase in judicial manpower, coupled with the expansion of courtroom facilities, has allowed for a heavier workload to be managed more efficiently.
“You have many judges there. We have two courtrooms now, so the workload has increased,” he said.
The AG added that his office has direct insight into the pace of work at the appellate level because the state is frequently involved in litigation.
As such, he indicated, “So don’t worry, the backlog is being addressed now.”
Just last year, the government moved to strengthen the appellate bench through a series of judicial appointments aimed at improving the efficiency and timeliness of judicial reviews.
Several judges were sworn in to serve at the appellate level following recommendations from the Judicial Service Commission.
The expanded bench was intended to enhance the management of the appellate caseload and facilitate faster resolution of matters before the court. Authorities had also pointed to the importance of strengthening public confidence in the judiciary through more efficient case disposals.
At that time, it was noted that expanding the complement of judges was necessary to ensure that justice is dispensed in a timely and effective manner, while safeguarding the rule of law and constitutional order.
