May 7 is Judiciary Day

The nation’s courts will open their doors to the public on Wednesday, May 7 for the inaugural celebration of ‘Judiciary Day’.

Under the theme ‘Preserving Justice, Honouring History, Embracing the Future’, the observance serves as an opportunity for the judiciary to further engage with the public about the judicial system and its functions, Chief Justice, Hon. Bryan Sykes told JIS News.

“We have been having public education days across the parishes and it was felt that we could take it a step further [and] have a day where members of the public will come to the courts… and we can explain to persons what exactly judges do, why the courts are important,” he said.

The celebrations will begin with a staff dress parade along King Street in downtown Kingston, which will end at Justice Square, where a civic ceremony will be held. This will be followed by curated exhibitions by each parish court showcasing their unique history.

Justice Square is where the Supreme Court is located. It also houses the Court of Appeal and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Justice Sykes said that the civic ceremony will include brief remarks and speeches from stakeholders and judges at the various courts.

“Thereafter, the courts will be open for persons to interact with members of the court staff and also with the judges,” he said.

“They will be talking about important cases that have been tried there. Persons will be taken on a tour of the courts to see the courtrooms. In the Supreme Court, there will be a [display ] on how judges dressed in times past to the present and artifacts that courts are able to put together for the purpose of the exhibition,” said the Chief Justice.

He told JIS News that the celebrations also serve as a form of civic engagement that may inspire onlookers to pursue their interest in the legal profession.

“There may have students or children who may be seeing all of this, being exposed to it and may decide there and then that they may wish to become attorneys-at-law or judges. It’s a form of public education, civic engagement and also reaffirming our importance in the structure of governance and why the judiciary is important in a democratic society”, Justice Sykes said.

He noted, further, that the exhibitions will be expanded as the celebration of Judiciary Day is expected to become an annual observance.

“It is our way of identifying fully and completely with the people of Jamaica that this is a judiciary that is here to serve our people by improving our service delivery. This is our way of indicating that we are an important part of government and that this judiciary is your judiciary, to serve you [and] is moving in the direction of service excellence in all areas,” he declared.

The Judiciary Day parade will begin at 9:35 a.m. with exhibitions and tours starting at 11:00 a.m. at the various parish courts.