Justice Farnese Says She Needs Time to Consider a Decision

Earlier today, Justice Farnese responded in writing to Marine Parade Chambers regarding the request for recusal.  In that letter, Justice Farnese wrote, “the request for recusal requires due consideration before I can decide to acquiesce to or reject the request.  Any decision I make will have obvious impacts on these proceedings.  I cannot over look the fact, however, that any decision raises broader questions concerning whether a judge’s previous political, academic, and advocacy work ought to preclude them from adjudicating matters on the grounds of an appearance of bias, as opposed to actual bias.  As an adjudicator in Canada, I am familiar with best practices and dominant perspectives on recusal in that jurisdiction.  I would like the opportunity to consider Caribbean jurisprudence, practice, and commentary on recusal to learn if it differs from Canada where we have the luxury of a plethora of judicial resources in most jurisdictions should one judge decide to recuse themselves from a matter… I will endeavor to expeditiously decide the issue, however, the Civil Division of the High Court is currently functioning with one judicial vacancy.  As a result, I am adjourning the meeting I scheduled on Tuesday, April twenty-fifth, 2023, until I have made my decision on the request for recusal”.