On the 24th of May 2024, the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) made significant updates to its 2024 Procedural Appellate Jurisdiction (AJ) and Original Jurisdiction (OJ) Rules in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.
Led by the Hon. Mr Justice Denys Barrow, the CCJ Rules Committee oversaw the latest revision in place of the late the Hon. Mr Justice Jacob Wit. The Committee, consisting of Judges and staff from various units and departments across the Court, diligently reviewed the CCJ Court Rules 2021, a process initiated in April 2023.
During this review, the Registry Unit identified issues pertaining to the administration of hearings in both the original and appellate jurisdictions, based on inputs from internal and external sources. The updated Rules reflect changes to Practice Direction 2 of 2024 for online hearings, taking into account circumstances beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, and introduced new Practice Directions 3-5 of 2024.
The Court also emphasized the importance of using gender-neutral language in the Rules. Furthermore, the amendments clarified the ‘clear day’ rule in Part 6.2 and provided further specification of case management powers for Judges and a single judge. Specifically for the AJ Rules, adjustments were made to guide the filing of speaking notes and the tables to accommodate Saint Lucia’s accession to the AJ.
The comprehensive review, fueled by submissions from various stakeholders, ensures that the Court will maintain its commitment to accessibility, fairness, and efficiency as the number of cases filed increases. The new Rules aim to discourage unnecessary disputes over procedural matters, enabling the Court to continue fulfilling its overriding objective.
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