Attorney General, Marlene Malahoo Forte, says the Government is considering a request from the Jamaican Bar Association for lawyers who are performing certain legal duties outside of their homes, to be allowed to move during any restrictions affecting movements that have been imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). Speaking at a virtual press conference at Jamaica House...

The Court Administration Division (CAD) is advising the public that reporting conditions for bail have been suspended for persons reporting to police stations in St. Catherine. The announcement comes after Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, announced a lockdown of the parish of St. Catherine, following a surge in the number of persons testing positive for COVID-19. Acting Director...

The Court Administration Division (CAD) says bail hearings are now being conducted in some parishes through videoconferencing. The initiative began last week, in partnership with the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF). Hearings are being conducted in the parishes of Kingston and St. Andrew, St. James, and Trelawny. Implementation of this measure is also expected to increase the use of technology in...

Executive Director of National Integrity Action (NIA), Professor Trevor Munroe, has commended the island’s judiciary for exceeding local and international case clearance rates. Supreme Court statistics for 2019 indicate that Jamaica’s parish courts have a case clearance rate of 101.6 per cent. Three of the top-performing parishes are St. Mary, with a clearance rate of 125.6 per cent; St. Catherine,...

The Court Administration Division (CAD) is advising the public that all sittings and hearings of Parish Courts will be suspended from March 23 to April 20, except for matters deemed by the judge to be fit for hearing during this time. The decision was made following a meeting with the senior judges of the courts out of concern for staff...

The Victim Services Division (VSD) is advising the public that its offices remain open for business, with measures implemented to protect staff and clients against contracting the coronavirus (COVID-19). Director of the VSD, Osbourne Bailey, told JIS News that telephone counselling has been ramped up to facilitate clients who might not be able to go into the offices. “Let me...

The Legal Aid Council (LAC) is advising members of the public to contact the entity by telephone, email or via social media, in order to access justice services. The Council’s call comes in light of measures announced by Government to contain the risk of transmission of the coronavirus (COVID-19), including that all non-essential work in both the private and public...