By Carlisle Jno Baptiste
ROSEAU, DOMINICA- Chief Magistrate Candia Carette George has indicated that come September 8, 2025, night court will officially commence in Dominica, and this, she said, will greatly assist the court in dealing with some of its backlog of cases.
She made her comments at a press conference of the Ministry of National Security and Legal Affairs.
“The court is aware of the backlog of cases and is using certain measures to deal with that situation. I am truly grateful to the hard-working clerks of the Magistrate’s court who sit with us and do not complain even when we work them during a time when we should have gotten a break or should have gone home,” she remarked.
“At the Magistrate’s Court, we are working with the Ministry of National Security and Legal Affairs to find the most workable solution, and this will include trying to find different tactics and methods. Hence, in the upcoming months, more will be done, especially in the engagement of new magistrates along with the adjustment of the court hours to include night court.”
“As we seek to prepare for night courts, meetings are being held with Magistrates, court staff, the executive of the Dominica Bar Association, and the police, and I am confident that those discussions will continue as we put measures in place,” the Chief Magistrate stated.
She explained that, in order for night court to succeed, the police and the bailiffs must be diligent and ensure that there is proper service on persons who are to attend court.
“On the clerical side, we are ensuring that cases are properly scheduled. It must be noted that at the Magistrate’s Court we deal with a large volume of cases to include civil (under ten thousand dollars), all matters of Inland Revenue (does not matter the value) all matters of the Dominica Social Security (DSS) Credit Union matters, child maintenance/ family matters, traffic, domestic/ criminal, juvenile, inquest, liquor licenses among others,” she said.
“Matters are being filed every day. So, although we are disposing of many matters, matters are being filed faster than we can dispose of them. However, we, for the most part, have been successful in reducing this backlog…and, for the period July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025, a total of 2,358 cases were filed while 2,471 were disposed of.”
She stated that as more magistrates and new methods are being established, she was confident that greater inroads into the existing backlog of cases and the entire Magistrate’s court staff will continue to do all in their power to ensure that they continue to realize a reduction in the backlog of cases.
The night court is expected to be from 1 pm to 9 pm, Monday to Thursday.
Meanwhile, the police have warned they all measures are being put in place for security purposes to facilitate to smooth flow of the night court.
“We are working in conjunction with the Magistrate’s Court, and I can tell you that all the necessary logistics are being put in place to facilitate the process,” acting chief of police Lincoln Corbette stated. It was also revealed that the delay in the oath-taking of newly appointed magistrate Marie-Louise Pierre Louis had nothing to do with the government.
National Security Minister Rayburn Blackmoore and PS Jo-Ann Commodore confirmed that she has already signed her contract, but are waiting for documents from the Judicial & Legal Services Commission (JLSC) in St. Lucia. “We have done all we had to do; the matter is out of our hands. All we can do is wait for the necessary documentation and then for her to be officially sworn in as a Magistrate,” he said.
Pierre-Louis was called to the Dominica Bar in 2021 and became the first Attorney-at-Law from Layou and the first student from the Hugh Wooding Law School to be called to the Bar in Dominica virtually.
Newly appointed Magistrate Marie-Louise Pierre Louis
She is the recipient of the Telford Georges Memorial Scholarship and the Global Affairs Canada Scholarship Programme: Emerging Leaders in the Americas Programme Scholarship.
She is also the holder of a master’s degree in legislative drafting and has been attached as a State Attorney in the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).