Crime
High Court Judge Calls on Magistrates to Dismiss Cases and Reduce Backlog, Citing Delays and Lack of Files
High Court judge Justice Carlisle Greaves suggests that reducing court backlogs is possible if magistrates begin dismissing cases, especially those lacking files, and stop waiting on the police.
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Originally published by www.nationnews.com (opens in new tab)
High Court judge Justice Carlisle Greaves says he believes magistrates have the power to reduce the backlog plaguing the courts, and they can do it in a year’s time.
All they need to do, he said, is to start dismissing cases, especially those where lawmen were the complainants and there were no files.
“Dismiss the cases. That’s what magistrates must do. Magistrates must clean up their calendars,” he declared.
“Stop waiting around on police, particularly in police cases, and dismiss them. You get three adjournments. You’re not ready, dismiss and you would see how quick they would wake up and get those files. There is no more major contributor to the backlog than the frequency of adjournments.”
He made the comments in the No. 3 Supreme Court as he was forced to adjourn Jadario Jelani Jacoby Murray’s sentencing, after Murray indicated he wanted a matter taken into consideration, but it was still stuck in the Magistrates’ Court waiting on a file. (HLE)
