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Supreme Court of Judicature updates emergency directions for COVID-19
The Supreme Court of Judicature has updated its emergency COVID-19 directions, which were first Gazetted on March 23, 2020 and later updated by noticed on April 3, 2020 and then April 5, 2020.
The precautionary measures outlined are slated to take immediate effect and shall last for a period of one month, unless it is revoked or extended by notice after an assessment of the current health situation of the public.
COURT SITTINGS
All ‘in person’ hearings shall continue to be suspended during the one-month period, sittings of the courts shall continue to be conducted remotely.
The court shall include any place, whether or not at a designated court house, where a Judge or Magistrate elects to sit to conduct the business of the court.
All time sensitive filings pursuant to Rules of Court or Orders of Court are suspended during the one-month period. Affidavits in support of applications must be sworn to and subscribed as required by law. Exhibits to affidavits must be similarly marked as required.
STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS
Where a matter is due to become statute barred under the Limitation Act, Chapter 7:02 or any other legislation during the one-month period when the Emergency Directions are in force, it may be filed by electronic means notwithstanding it is not urgent. The matter must be accompanied with an affidavit explaining the circumstances.
COURT OF APPEAL
All Chamber matters and Full Bench sittings of the Court of Appeal are further suspended for the one-month period subject to the directions of the Judge or the Court.
Hearing of urgent applications by the Court will be conducted remotely.
HIGH COURT
-Civil Trials
Subject to the decision of the hearing Judge, all pending civil matters in the High Courts in Essequibo, Demerara and Berbice are further suspended for the one-month period.
Sittings will resume after the one-month period but will be subject to an assessment of the prevailing public health conditions.
-Criminal Trials
The opening of the Demerara Criminal Assizes for the April Session is further postponed for the one-month period.
The Berbice and Essequibo Criminal Assizes are further suspended for the one-month period.
After the one-month period has ended, the reopening of sessions will be reviewed on the basis of the prevailing public health guidelines.
SUPREME COURT REGISTRIES
The Registries at the Supreme Court Registry in Georgetown, Demerara, and the Sub-registries at New Amsterdam, Berbice and Suddie, Essequibo remain in operation but the counter and ‘in person’ services continue to be suspended until Friday, May 22, 2020. Unless otherwise advised, these registries will reopen to the public on Monday, May 25, 2020.
Filing of urgent matters, or of pleadings for the Court of Appeal and High Courts as directed by the Court, until May 24, 2020, must be done by email in accordance with paragraphs 30 – 33.
The Emergency Practice Directions to the following email addresses; Judicial Registry, High Court, Georgetown, Demerara – [email protected], Sub-Registry, New Amsterdam, Berbice High Court – [email protected], Sub-Registry, Suddie, Essequibo High Court – [email protected], Family Court Registry, High Court, Georgetown – [email protected], Land Court, High Court, Georgetown – [email protected], Probate Registry, High Court, Georgetown – [email protected].
Where urgent matters are required to be filed under these Directions, litigants and/or attorneys-at-law must file an undertaking to present hard copies of their documents and pay the requisite filing fees on a date, as directed by the Registry, which shall be on or after May 25, 2020.
Registry staffers are working remotely to provide services to attorneys-at-law, litigants and other court users.
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