ALL hearings – in-person and virtually – in all courts in Trinidad and Tobago will be suspended from tomorrow (Wednesday) until June 30.
A Practice Direction issued by Chief Justice Ivor Archie on Tuesday (May 25) stated:
- All Court Buildings shall be closed until June 30, 2021; and
- All Judiciary Virtual Access Customer Centres (VACC) shall be closed until June 30, 2021 save and except in any instance in which a witness in a matter deemed fit for hearing during this period is required to give evidence from a Judiciary Virtual Access Customer Centre.
It stated that the Practice Directions (others were issued recently) were in response to the continuing Covid-19 surge and to protect the health and safety of court staff and the public.
But the practice direction noted that urgent matters can still take place. Those deemed fit for hearing, which will be done virtually, include in the case of the Court of Appeal, by the Court or in the case of the High Court, by the Judge or Judicial Officer to whom a matter is docketed.
And also where a virtual hearing is required in an emergency between the hours of 8am to 4 pm as well as between 4pm and 8am inclusive of the hours of curfew, provision has been made for a party or witness to the proceedings to give evidence at a Judiciary Virtual Access Customer Centre as set out in Schedule 1.
Nevertheless, there are certain matters which have been deemed fit for hearing in the Summary Courts and include:
- Domestic violence cases;
- Maintenance applications including applications to vary orders to use CourtPay;
- Urgent custody applications;
- Detention of cash matters under the Proceeds of Crime Act;
- Matters under the Emergency Powers Regulations, 2021; and
- Charge matters.
In another Practice Direction issued by the Chief Justice on 18 May 2021, all filing of court documents have been suspended until 30 June 2021 except in three named cases.
All matters in the Summary Courts (including traffic matters) listed to be heard during this period, are adjourned as follows:
