Court of Appeal Pursuing ISO Certification

The Court of Appeal is seeking to become ISO 9001 2015-certified before the end of the 2026/2027 financial year, as part of a broader initiative to improve operational efficiency and modernise the country’s judiciary.

Court of Appeal President, Hon. Justice Marva McDonald Bishop, said that the process is in keeping with the commitment to continually improve quality standards to meet the needs of customers.

She informed that consultants have conducted a comprehensive gap audit to identify areas for improvement.

“We are scheduled to have our first internal audit conducted during April of this year with the first external audit to follow in June. These audits will determine our readiness for certification,” she said.

Justice McDonald Bishop, who was addressing a forum dubbed ‘A Conversation with the Judiciary’, held recently at the Summit in St. Andrew, said that certification is about more than following rules.

“Certification means the Court must have clear steps for how things are done, set goals to measure how well those things work, write down the procedures and always check to ensure that services are meeting standards,” she pointed out.

“For the Court of Appeal, this leads to better organisation in handling cases, clearer communication and greater responsibility and accountability within the team,” she noted.

Justice McDonald Bishop said that the benefits of ISO certification will extend beyond the Court of Appeal.

“We are an appellate court and so our processes influence practices throughout the entire judiciary. Establishing internationally recognised standards at this level supports consistency across the justice system,” she added.

ISO 9001 2015 is the internationally recognised standard for Quality Management Systems (QMS), setting criteria for businesses to ensure consistent product/service quality, customer satisfaction, and regulatory compliance. It emphasises continuous improvement and leadership engagement to enhance operational efficiency.

Meanwhile, Justice McDonald Bishop said the preliminary assessment indicates that the Court’s ‘2025 performance trajectory judgment delivery rate’ is expected to remain “far above” international standards, while other key performance indicators also appear “positive on early checks”.

“We remain mindful that there are critical areas that require our serious and continued attention. We are committed, nevertheless, to finding practical solutions so that judgments can be delivered within the time standards established by judicial conduct guidelines,” she said.