Headlines:
| More gun courts |
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| Wednesday, 23 July 2008 | |
 New court spaces have been created in a bid to clear the
vast backlog in the prosecution of cases involving violent crime.Prime Minister Bruce Golding told Parliament on Tuesday that following discussions with the police and the Director of Public Prosecutions space was found at the Jamaica Conference Centre in downtown Kingston. "We have made arrangements (to relocate two civil courts) to two of the rooms at the Conference Centre ... these are matters that don't require any high security consideration. The space that will be created with the relocation of those civil courts will be used (for) the creation of two additional gun courts in order to increase the number of cases that can be heard involving gun crimes," said Mr. Golding. The Prime Minister added that Cabinet has approved legislation, which will be taken to Parliament soon to increase the number of judges at the Resident Magistrate and Supreme Courts. Steps are also being taken to increase the support staff at the courts to deal with these cases. Lawyers beware Mr. Golding said attorneys will no longer be allowed to cause undue delays in the court system by over-scheduling cases. "Some of the practices that have resulted in cases being dragged out interminably will not be allowed to continue, for example, an attorney will not be allowed to appear in court to set a trial date Tuesday the 17th at 10am, when he has already set a trial date for Tuesday the 17th at 10am in another court. There's some discipline that will have to be exercised," said Mr. Golding. |