A.G. and judge face off over Meerabux case

While the annual Supreme Court opening is usually long on form and short on substance, one issue hovered over today’s gathering like a fog bank over Victoria Peak. That is the Supreme Court case of Meerabux versus the Attorney General, a constitutional motion in which deposed former Supreme Court Justice George Meerabux is seeking to have his removal declared null and void, due to a number of alleged procedural injustices. On Friday, presiding Justice Christopher Blackman made statements which appeared to indicate a preference for ruling in favour of Meerabux. Today, in what appeared to be a deliberate retort to Justice Blackman, Attorney General Godfrey Smith–who is also a party to the case–offered his own views. In his address to the legal community, Smith made early reference to the trial, calling it “a sordid constitutional action by a judge”…and he did not stop there. Recalling a remark from British history, the A.G. borrowed from Disraeli in saying that if Meerabux succeeded in his constitutional motion it “would certainly be a misfortune and probably a calamity.” News 5 understands that following the ceremonies, an incensed Justice Blackman exchanged words with Smith and asked him to appear in court Tuesday morning to show cause why he should not be held in contempt. Smith told News 5 this afternoon that while they did speak, there was no request by Justice Blackman for the Attorney General to appear in court. The Meerabux case continues at nine-thirty Tuesday morning, and few observers expect that today’s out of court wrangling will be the last the public will hear.