Court hearings further suspended – Supreme Court

In keeping with measures put in place to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, the Supreme Court of Judicature has announced that court hearings will continue to be suspended for another month pending an assessment of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a statement on Sunday, it was noted that “All ‘in-person’ hearings shall continue to be suspended during the one-month period. Sittings of the courts shall continue to be conducted remotely.”
It was noted that ‘court’ shall include any place, whether or not at a designated courthouse, 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 also 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.
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 by an affidavit explaining the circumstances.
Meanwhile, 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.
However, hearings of urgent applications by the court will be conducted remotely.
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 also be subject to an assessment of the prevailing public health conditions.
The opening of the Demerara Criminal Assizes for the April session is further postponed for the one-month period. While 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,” the Supreme Court stated.
With regards to the Supreme Court Registry in Georgetown, Demerara, and the Sub-registries at New Amsterdam, Berbice and Suddie, Essequibo, they will 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 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 of the Emergency Practice Directions.
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.
It was noted that the Registry staff are working remotely to provide services to attorneys-at-law, litigants and other court users.
With regards to the operation of the Magistrates’ Courts Offices during the period May 4 to 22, 2020, sittings will continue to be by electronic means – Zoom, Skype or WhatsApp video and teleconferencing.
The Magistrates’ Courts Offices will be open to the public on the following days from 08:30h to 12:30h.
According to the Supreme Court. filing of all urgent matters must be on the dates the court offices are open.
Where urgent matters are required to be filed on the days when the court offices are not open, contact can be made with the Clerks of Court for the relevant magisterial districts for the matters to be filed.
Meanwhile, the following matters are deemed to be urgent for purposes of applications pursuant to the Practice Direction No 1 of 2020 – COVID-19 Emergency Directions: custody applications; domestic violence and related matters; maintenance applications; habeas corpus applications; public health ordinance, cap 145; applications for extension of time to detain persons; matters related to the national and regional elections; matters under the interception of communications act, cap 47:03 and curfew and related matters.
Notwithstanding these, all guilty pleas for traffic cases and new charges will be facilitated.
“These directions may be altered, where necessary, after periodic review and assessment of the evolving COVID-19 pandemic,” the Supreme Court stated in the massive on Sunday.