TRINIDAD and Tobago is firmly in the grips of a third wave of Covid-19 infections. Chief Justice Ivor Archie issued two recent pandemic practice directions to try to manage the operations of the nation’s courts whilst we battle this latest threat.
They are Pandemic Direction No 19 with effect from October 1, 2021 and a supplemental practice direction published in the Trinidad and Tobago Gazette No 181, Volume 60 on November 30, 2021. (Both are available online).
Some of the noteworthy changes are as follows:
Public health fixed penalties
There is more time to pay all Public Health Fixed Penalties. If issued on or before January 3, 2022, the deadline to pay those fixed penalties has been extended to February 14, 2022, unless the court orders otherwise. These fines can be paid online using a credit card or a VISA enabled debit card using the judiciary’s online payment platform at courtpay.ttlawcourtstt.org.
The judiciary’s Courtpay payment platform also allows the online payment of traffic tickets issued before May 26, 2020. Persons who use this platform to pay traffic tickets, may for a limited time, benefit from a 50% reduction of the value of the traffic ticket. Note however, the deadline for persons to pay all traffic tickets issued before May 26, 2020 has been extended until further notice.
The deadline for persons to pay all fines due and owing as at January 3, 2022, is extended to February 14, 2022.
Possible delay at the probate registry again
All applications of persons who wish to represent the estates of deceased persons go through the Probate Division of the High Court. The judiciary has been constantly evolving its probate procedures since the inception of the pandemic to belatedly try to modernise the division.
Around May this year, it mandated that all applications be initially filed electronically via the court’s e-services online platform and later an appointment will be given to physically attend the Probate Division to file the hardcopy/original application.
The latest Practice Direction has, however, halted in-person appointments, unless permitted by the Registrar of the Supreme Court. Inevitably, pausing this step of the process would delay the issue of the Grants of Probate or Letters of Administration (the document which allows the applicant to act on behalf of the deceased’s estate), pending the restart of in-person appointments.
Court hearings continue
Save for exceptional circumstances where the interest of justice will not be served, all business of the Supreme Court (that is, the High Court and Court of Appeal) and Summary Courts (aka Magistrates’ Courts or District Courts) is being conducted by electronics means only. This includes all hearings. The judiciary is using the Microsoft Teams platform for this purpose and all parties are being notified in advance of the date, time etc. of electronic hearing. All jury trials have been suspended and all court buildings are generally off-limits and/or closed to the public.
Be sure to check the pandemic directions yourself before relying on the above as nothing contained in this article is meant to supersede what is contained in the same. It’s a dynamic situation, so further changes can be made as the CJ deems necessary.
Disclaimer:The contents of this article are for general informative purposes only and/or contain the opinions and/or thoughts of the writer only. It does not provide legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship with any reader. For legal advice on your specific situation, please contact an Attorney-at-Law of your choosing directly. Liability for any loss or damage of any kind whatsoever allegedly incurred a consequence of relying on content in this article is thus hereby excluded to the fullest extent permitted by law.
More Time to Pay Public Health Fines
TRINIDAD and Tobago is firmly in the grips of a third wave of Covid-19 infections. Chief Justice Ivor Archie issued two recent pandemic practice directions to try to manage the operations of the nation’s courts whilst we battle this latest threat.
They are Pandemic Direction No 19 with effect from October 1, 2021 and a supplemental practice direction published in the Trinidad and Tobago Gazette No 181, Volume 60 on November 30, 2021. (Both are available online).
Some of the noteworthy changes are as follows:
Public health fixed penalties
There is more time to pay all Public Health Fixed Penalties. If issued on or before January 3, 2022, the deadline to pay those fixed penalties has been extended to February 14, 2022, unless the court orders otherwise. These fines can be paid online using a credit card or a VISA enabled debit card using the judiciary’s online payment platform at courtpay.ttlawcourtstt.org.
The judiciary’s Courtpay payment platform also allows the online payment of traffic tickets issued before May 26, 2020. Persons who use this platform to pay traffic tickets, may for a limited time, benefit from a 50% reduction of the value of the traffic ticket. Note however, the deadline for persons to pay all traffic tickets issued before May 26, 2020 has been extended until further notice.
The deadline for persons to pay all fines due and owing as at January 3, 2022, is extended to February 14, 2022.
Possible delay at the probate registry again
All applications of persons who wish to represent the estates of deceased persons go through the Probate Division of the High Court. The judiciary has been constantly evolving its probate procedures since the inception of the pandemic to belatedly try to modernise the division.
Around May this year, it mandated that all applications be initially filed electronically via the court’s e-services online platform and later an appointment will be given to physically attend the Probate Division to file the hardcopy/original application.
The latest Practice Direction has, however, halted in-person appointments, unless permitted by the Registrar of the Supreme Court. Inevitably, pausing this step of the process would delay the issue of the Grants of Probate or Letters of Administration (the document which allows the applicant to act on behalf of the deceased’s estate), pending the restart of in-person appointments.
Court hearings continue
Save for exceptional circumstances where the interest of justice will not be served, all business of the Supreme Court (that is, the High Court and Court of Appeal) and Summary Courts (aka Magistrates’ Courts or District Courts) is being conducted by electronics means only. This includes all hearings. The judiciary is using the Microsoft Teams platform for this purpose and all parties are being notified in advance of the date, time etc. of electronic hearing. All jury trials have been suspended and all court buildings are generally off-limits and/or closed to the public.
Be sure to check the pandemic directions yourself before relying on the above as nothing contained in this article is meant to supersede what is contained in the same. It’s a dynamic situation, so further changes can be made as the CJ deems necessary.
Keep abreast of new developments and be safe T&T!
Copyright © 2021 Neela Ramsundar, LLB (Hons), LEC is a Civil Litigation Attorney at Law & Certified Mediator.
Disclaimer: The contents of this article are for general informative purposes only and/or contain the opinions and/or thoughts of the writer only. It does not provide legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship with any reader. For legal advice on your specific situation, please contact an Attorney-at-Law of your choosing directly. Liability for any loss or damage of any kind whatsoever allegedly incurred a consequence of relying on content in this article is thus hereby excluded to the fullest extent permitted by law.