Bar Assn. to consider resolution on delayed judgments

And it’s no secret that the Belize judiciary is under constraints with a shortage of magistrates and justices and a voluminous and growing number of cases. With more than thirty judgments and decisions pending before the Supreme Court in a period spanning more than ten years, the Bar Association is convening a special meeting to consider the issue this coming Wednesday night. Since it is said that justice delayed is justice denied, the Bar will consider a Resolution which makes proposals to the Attorney General and the Chief Justice and all Judges of the Supreme Court of Belize to deliver reserved judgments in a specific time frame. The resolution proposes that judgments pending for more than three years be delivered before the thirtieth November; judgments reserved for more than one year but less than three years be handed down on or before December thirty-first, 2008 and all other judgments now reserved be delivered on or before March thirty-first, 2009.

The resolution goes further to request the A.G. to call upon any judge who does not comply with the timetables to resign or face the prospect of being removed from office. All this if the resolution is approved by the Bar.

In other news from the judiciary, the appointment of a new Solicitor General to replace Tanya Herwanger who vacated the post in June is still pending.