BVI Magistrate’s Court launches evening sittings

The Magistrate’s Court in the BVI is planning to begin evening sittings aimed at addressing its increasing caseload and providing for the timely dispensation of justice. The Magistrate’s Court Order on extended hours of sitting was introduced on May 1, 2006. Evening sittings will begin in June and they will take place on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. They will deal with road traffic matters, civil matters and some other cases. The matters under discussion are determined by the Senior Magistrate Valerie Stephens.

Senior Magistrate says that these sittings will let the court address its case backlog, by means of shortening the time people have to wait for their matters to be dispensed with.

In accordance with Ms Stephens, over the last several years the Magistrate’s Court has much more cases it must adjudicate, so introducing the evening court lets the Magistrate’s Court meet an increasingly growing demand. She reports in 2005, the Magistrate’s Court registered 2,150 criminal complaints, 1,309 traffic complaints, 100 domestic violence/maintenance matters and 262 civil matters.

During the sitting of the Court, the doors will remain open in order to facilitate delivery of all necessary services. As to ensuring the security of the Magistrate’s Court during the evening sittings, some particular measures have been taken regarding this.

The Judicial Branch of the BVI Government consists of the courts. The present court system is divided into the following courts:

• the Appeal Court,
• High Court,
• Magistrate Court,
• Office of the Registrar of the High Court.

The High Court has two resident Judges and there is one Magistrate (currently, Valerie Stephens) for the Magistrate Court. A to the Appeal Court and High Court, they are associated with the OECS – the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (the BVI is its Associate Member since 1984).