Magistrate Alex Moore: Resolute on the path to making a difference

Dec 01, 2013 News

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By Kiana Wilburg
When many of our highly respected legal minds debate on the “dispensation of justice”, they conclude that Magistrate Alex Moore is one of the most effective and proficient in this area.
Many say that as a Magistrate, his court is “unlike any other”.

“Magistrate Moore is quite different from any other you would encounter. He is not only strict; he understands his courtroom and respects everyone’s time. He takes time to explain what the law means and reprimands anyone who dares think that they can waste the court’s time… and the police officers or his prosecutors are no exception. What is also admirable about Moore is that unlike most courtrooms, cases aren’t prolonged. And though he may use a lion’s voice to get a point over to someone, he has always exercised mercy and good judgment,” was how one renowned lawyer described
One of the lawyers who even lost a case before the Magistrate said, “It is surprising the lengths he would go to just to explain to a defendant, the consequences of his actions… And it is admirable, especially when one considers the pressure Magistrates are under with the amount of cases they have to deal with everyday. Moore is very organized and has his own unique style in dealing with the court, coupled with his professionalism.”
Moore is currently presiding over the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court, and asserts that he seeks to make his court as efficient as humanly possible. And for those who have never witnessed him in action, noteworthy is the fact that he is extremely passionate about the law and strives to follow it to the letter.
But getting to this “unconventional point” of his life was never foreseen, at least not by Moore.
Born to Cheryl and Stanley Moore, the 35-year-old revealed that life as a magistrate is probably one of the hardest and fulfilling responsibilities for those who genuinely love it.
Moore attended Stella Maris Primary then moved on to The Bishops’ High School where he  spent one year before migrating to Antigua and Barbuda with his mother who worked as a pilot with LIAT.
Moore then moved to Barbados where he completed his high school education and then progressed to the University of the West Indies where he successfully obtained his Bachelor’s Degree in English.
After this, he returned to Guyana where the journey in what would be his preferred field began. He studied law at the University of Guyana and upon completion, he then went to Hugh Wooding Law School, Trinidad, then onto the University of Washington where he completed his Master’s degree in law.

After completing his studies, Moore decided that it was time to return to the Caribbean to enter the world of work in earnest.
It was no surprise that his first job was with a law firm based in Barbados. Working there as an attorney afforded him the opportunity to travel and conduct many investigations.
But even at this point where a fruitful future was certain, Moore still remembered a most forgettable part of his life.
He reminisced about being bullied in his earlier years.
“People look at you and think that you have it all, or that you have had the confidence you exude from a tender age, but truth is, I was not confident at all at one point of my life. I never thought that I would amount to anything. When I was much younger, I was this chubby, little awkward adolescent who definitely wasn’t popular or even a hit with the girls, and by the time I was 13, the fat jokes just made me become super self-conscious.
“It was at this point of my life that I got into health and fitness and started to watch what I was eating. So apart from my work which I feel very dedicated to, those harsh remarks became the catalyst for my continued interest in the gym. But most importantly, not being popular at that time, taught me the importance of individuality and being self-reliant.”
“As a student I was not the bright boy in school, I came second to last in many of my classes. I spent a lot of time in the bottom ten as well, but I came to discover that my gifts lay outside the classroom. I guess I was the proverbial ‘late bloomer’ because I did exceptionally well when I got out of high school.”
“When I look at how far I’ve come, especially with the mindset I had back then, I am quite pleased now more than ever that I can be able to make a difference with the position that I have.”
“When I was working with the firm in Barbados, I just had to leave. After working for two years, I realized that the type of work I did placed me in the background, and my hard work was not serving me, I was not getting the credit for the work I did. I was virtually unknown. When I asked for a raise of pay, they used to tell me that I should be celebrating the fact that I have a job and that I can’t get one (raise) because of the economic depression.”
So, after leaving the job, Moore returned to Guyana, not having a clue that it was the first step to his journey to becoming a Magistrate.
“I was visiting Guyana in late 2010 and I met with some colleagues who expressed that there was a need for magistrates and they also mentioned that there were some challenges such as case back log, cases taking too long to finish, and other complaints.”
“I felt that I could have contributed towards restoring the dignity and decorum that was being stripped away from the magisterial office. I honestly wanted to help in making this place better. And I spoke to a few mentors before taking up the position and one of my mentors, Chief Justice Ian Chang, gave me some advice and it was very instrumental in shaping my decision. Before I assumed the position of a Magistrate, he stressed to me that one should always maintain a humble nature. He always said, ‘the higher you go, the more humble and good natured you should be’. I can never forget that.”
While a magistrate’s responsibility is to determine whether someone is guilty or not, and to sentence the offender within the limits of the law, the courtroom provides a candid view on life as it is lived.
However, many persons choose to be a magistrate for different reasons. According to a former Magistrate who now practices law, people in Guyana choose to take up the position for a variety of reasons. Some are encouraged by the law firm they are attached to with the belief that it will bring great recognition. Regrettably, some applicants opt to become Magistrates to satisfy their own personal egotistical cravings while others choose this path because they view it as fulfilling a public duty.
So why did Alex Moore choose to become a magistrate?
Well, according to him, he chose this path to make a difference. He explained that people who choose to be magistrates for any other reason other than making a difference often realize that the demands of such a position would only force them to leave at some point in time.
His first court was the Mahaica Magistrate’s Court. However, after a Magistrate who was already in charge of the Sparendaam court had to go on leave, Moore was also asked to preside over the that court for a short time. The latter assignment did provide a challenge.
“There was a backlog of cases dated so far back, and some that had not even started as yet… I couldn’t leave it like that. I had to do something. I worked late hours, pushing myself to clear it off. It was just a part of me to do that.”
Moore reflects that his approach, though simple has been quite effective.
“I do my best to explain to the defendants before me how serious the law is, and how important it is to obey the law, and the consequences that may follow. A lot of people don’t really understand how severe the law can be until they end up on the wrong side of it. Apart from that, I aim to do my utmost for the people I am serving and always try to maintain a good work ethic.”

 

 

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