Weekly Alert: September 29 - October 3 2008

Do you know who the first female member of the CBA was?

Please e-mail me at kerij2@cwjamaica.com if you do.

It's not too late to register for the Commonwealth Lawyers Association 25th Anniversary Law Conference! Click here to register for the Conference, being held at the Ritz Carlton Hotel, Montego Bay from the 16th of October to the 19th of October 2008.

Take a look at the updated Conference Programme here.

In recognition of the Commonwealth Lawyers Association 25th Anniversary Law Conference, the Cornwall Bar Association will be publishing a Commemorative Edition of our Newsletter, EQUITY. We have reserved special Directory Listing advertising spaces for Attorneys-at-Law for the reasonable price of Three Thousand Dollars ($3,000).

We will be printing & distributing more copies of this special edition than usual and therefore companies and firms advertising with us will receive much greater exposure than usual.

Please find our Advertisement Commitment form here. In order to secure an advertisement in the publication we ask that you contact Ms. Thamani Smith (952-2420) or Mr. Adley George Duncan (952-2745) no later than Friday, October 3, 2008 as there has been a great interest and we should not like you to miss this rare opportunity.

Continuing Legal Education Seminar:

Theme : The Role of the DPP in 21st Century Justice Administration

Presenter : Ms Paula Llewellyn, QC Director of Public Prosecutions
Venue : Norman Manley Law School

When : Saturday October 4, 2008 10:00am -

Registration starts at 9:30am

WINSTON SILL/ FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER

The Honourable Madame Justice Désirée Bernard, OR, Judge of the Caribbean Court of Justice will be speaking at the official launch of the Bishops High School (Guyana) Alumni Association Jamaica Chapter at Talk of the Town, Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, starting at 7:00pm.

Contact Ms Jackie Cummings at jamcummings@cwjamaica.com for further details.

Of Interest :

The Legal Officers Staff Association which represents attorneys employed in the public service, recently held its elections and the following persons were elected as officers :-
President: Tasha Manley

Vice President: Melissa Simms
Chairperson Salaries and Benefits Committee: Thalia Francis
Chairperson of the Publications Committee: Maurice Bailey
Chairperson Social and Entertainment Committee: Khadrea Folkes
Secretary: Trudy-Ann Dixon
The Facebook Page of the Legal Officers Staff Association (LOSA) is here.

Three senior lawyers from Grenada, Dr. Francis Alexis, who served as Attorney General, Celia Cleyne-Edwards and Ernest Clarence Wilkinson, were on Thursday elevated to Queens Counsel and were admitted to the Inner Bar. Read More.

THE LEGAL PROFESSION has been thrown into mourning again with the death of Rahim Bacchus Jr.
The 50-year-old attorney-at-law, law lecturer, consumer advocate, and former WEEKEND NATION columnist was found dead at his Fort George, St Michael, home on the morning of the 23rd of September.
President of the Barbados Bar Association, Wilfred Abrahams, has described this year as "the most catastrophic year for the legal profession in its entire history". Read more here & here.

The Cornwall Bar Association extends condolences to Mr. Bacchus' family and friends. He taught several CBA members, especially our younger members.

Weekly Alert: September 22-26, 2008

Cabinet Approves Creation of Court Services Agency
Cabinet has given approval for the creation of a Court Services Agency, in keeping with a commitment given by the Government in its election manifesto, as well as based on the recommendation of the Justice Reform Taskforce.
Prime Minister, Bruce Golding, who made the announcement this afternoon (Sept. 16), at a welcome reception for new and returning students at the Norman Manley Law School, (Mona Campus UWI) said consideration was also being given to the creation of a Community Justice Tribunal, to help clear the backlog of civil cases. Read More

Justice Minister Calls on Members to Work Together

Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Senator Dorothy Lightbourne, is calling on all members of the justice system, to work together, in an effort to ensure that the challenges facing the system are adequately addressed.

"I want to make a special appeal, as I ask for the co-operation of every judge, the attorneys, court staff, everyone in the justice system, who will have a role to play, in ensuring that the new system runs smoothly," Senator Lightbourne emphasised, as she outlined the reforms to take place.
She was addressing the annual Assizes Church Service, at the East Queen Street Baptist Church in Kingston, recently. Read More.

Technology To Be Introduced in Criminal Courts

Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Senator Dorothy Lighbourne revealed that at least three criminal courts are to be installed with multi-million dollar computer technology at the beginning of the Michaelmas Session.

The purpose of the new technology is to produce transcripts of evidence, which forms part of the Government’s 10 year Justice Reform Programme.

Minister Lightbourne made the disclosure at the official launch of the 3-day Regional Conference on the Media and the Caribbean Justice System, on Wednesday September 3, at the Hilton Hotel, Kingston.

“The Supreme Court has been wired up for that technology, the computers have been received by the Ministry and the software is already installed, and additionally, the Judge’s software has also been installed.

Minister Lightbourne is hoping that the new system will be installed in all court rooms, specifically those within the Criminal jurisdiction in the new legal year. Read More

Six Judges Sworn in for Supreme and Appeal Courts

Six Judges were yesterday (Sept.15) sworn in to serve in the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court by Deputy Governor-General, the Very Reverend Canon Weeville Gordon, at a ceremony held at King's House.The Judges sworn in are: Justice Mahadev Dukharan, to act as Judge of the Court of Appeal; His Honour, Martin Gayle, to act as Puisne Judge; Justice Gloria Smith, to act as Judge of the Court of Appeal; Her Honour, Marva McDonald Bishop, to act as Judge of the Court of Appeal; His Honour Bertram Morrison, to act as Puisne Judge; and Her Honour, Sarah Thompson James to act as Puisne Judge. Read More

Bills Passed To Allow For Increased Number of Judges in High Court

The increase in the number of Judges on the Appeal Court and Supreme Court is now possible following the passage of the Judicature (Appellate Jurisdiction) (Amendment) Act and the Judicature (Supreme Court) (Amendment) Act, on Tuesday September 9, 2008 in the Houses of Parliament. The Governor General gave his assent on September 12, 2008. Read More

Weekly Alert: September 15 - 19 2008

Weekly Alert: September 1 - 5 2008

Condolences to the friends and family of our colleague Ms. Lerone Earlington who passed away this morning (Tuesday September 2, 2008). Ms. Earlington was an attorney at the National Commercial Bank.

Public Forum and Panel Discussion:

Jamaicans for Justice will host a public forum and panel discussion on the Government’s proposed Whistleblower legislation.

Where: Dome Room, Montego Bay Civic Centre, Sam Sharpe Square, Montego Bay

When : Thursday, September 4, 2008 at 6:00 p.m.

For more information contact Jamaicans for Justice at 940-7449.
Download the Green Paper on the Whistleblower Legislation here.






Discounted rates extended to September 10, 2008. For Registration details click here.

For updated Programme information, click here.

Of Interest:

- Hugh Wildman detained by Grenadian Police for questioning. Read the story here

* Interview with Wildman by Grenada Broadcast
* Hugh Wildman released