Evening sittings will be held from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, beginning in June. The evening sittings will be used to deal with road traffic matters, as well as civil matters and other cases as determined by the Senior Magistrate.

Senior Magistrate Valerie Stephens says that the addition of evening sittings will allow the court to address its case backlog, while cutting back on the length of time persons must wait for their matters to be dispensed with.

Ms Stephens says over the last several years, the Magistrate’s Court has experienced a marked increase in the number of cases it must adjudicate. She says the introduction of evening court allows them to meet this growing demand and lessen the wait which persons with matters before the court must experience.

Ms. Stephens says that in 2005, the Magistrate’s Court was presented with 2,150 criminal complaints, 1,309 traffic complaints, 100 domestic violence/maintenance matters, and 262 civil matters. She says this is a significant increase from previous years.

The Order authorising the extended hours of sitting of the Magistrate’s Court was made on 1st May, 2006.

The offices of the Magistrate’s Court will remain open during the sitting of the Court to facilitate delivery of all necessary services. Additionally, measures have been put in place to ensure the security of the court during its evening sittings.