We are pleased to announce that Miss Claudette A. Thompson, Senior Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions in the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, has been approved by the Governor General of Jamaica, His Excellency the Most Honourable Sir Patrick Allen, ON, GCMG, CD, KSt. J, upon the recommendation of the Public Service Commission to act as Director of...

Chief Justice, Hon. Bryan Sykes, has indicated that significant progress is being made in reducing backlogs in the country’s court system. Providing an update during a ceremony at King’s House on April 3, Chief Justice Sykes informed that at the end of 2023 the net backlog in the Parish Courts is under 2.5 per cent. “That’s a very significant development,...

The Court of Appeal recorded positive out-turns in its clearance, delivery and date certainty rates in 2023. President, Justice Patrick Brooks, provided an update during Wednesday’s (April 3) swearing-in ceremony at King’s House for eight members of the judiciary who will act in higher offices for the Circuit Court’s Easter Term. “We have recently received the statistics of the Court’s...

Eight members of the judiciary were sworn in today (April 3), to act in higher offices for the Easter Term, by Governor-General, His Excellency the Most Hon. Sir Patrick Allen. The judges, who will serve in the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, took the Oath of Allegiance and the Judicial Oath, during a ceremony at King’s House. They...

Director of the Victim Services Branch (VSB) in the Ministry of Justice, Dionne Dawn Binns, says a slew of special intervention programmes are available for children who are victims of crime or are at risk. She told JIS News that children make up the majority of the branch’s clientele at around 50 per cent, leading to the creation of these...

Jamaicans who are victims of crime are being encouraged to take advantage of the support programmes and services available to them from the Victim Services Branch (VSB) of the Ministry of Justice. Director of the VSB, Dionne-Dawn Binns, told JIS News that in addition to providing emotional support and counselling to deal with the trauma that often follows a crime,...

The more than 8,000 participants across 200 schools who have been trained in restorative justice (RJ) are being encouraged to become advocates for the conflict resolution method in their schools and wider communities. “I’m going to beg everyone, please get to the next level of restorative justice. You have been sensitised; you know what it is,” urged Justice Minister, Hon....

Efforts are being made to increase the stipend that is paid to jurors in a bid to encourage more persons to serve. Minister of Justice, Hon. Delroy Chuck, informed that a submission has been made to the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service to deal with the matter. “The proposal is to more than double what is paid now...

Jamaicans are again being encouraged to utilise the Ministry of Justice’s services to resolve conflicts and avoid disputes. Among these is restorative justice which is tailored to resolve conflict by having all parties involved come together to reach an agreement. Portfolio Minister, Hon. Delroy Chuck, made the call during the Standing Finance Committee of the House of Representatives meeting on...