“The law is a jealous mistress and requires long and constant courtship. It is not won by trifling favours, but by lavish homage.” So said US Supreme Court Justice Joseph Story in 1929. Much has been written about this statement, including its origins. One suggestion is that it was first used by James Madison, the fourth President of the United States, […]
Category Archives: Justice
BLINNE NÍ GHRÁLAIGH
Ms. Blinne Ni Ghralaigh KC is a British/Irish barrister and one of eight lawyers who addressed the International Commission of Jurists in the case Concerning Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip (South Africa v Israel). Ms. Ni Ghralaigh’s address is a searing indictment […]
WHERE IS THE JUSTICE SYSTEM GOING IN 2024?
After a lapse of seven years, hitherto unheard of, a Judicial Service Commission was finally appointed in July. During 2024 Guyana’s magisterial and judicial systems should have their full complement of magistrates, judges at the first instance and at the appellate level. It appears that as regards the two most important posts in our judiciary, […]
RETHINKING CRIMINAL JUSTICE
A week ago, Justice Jacob Wit, a Judge of the Caribbean Court of Justice, participated in a Seminar at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre on “Rethinking Criminal Justice.” It was a timely and important conference because our criminal justice system, like our appeal system, is in a state of collapse. This is no exaggeration because […]
JAILING OR THREATENING TO JAIL LAWYERS
The news that a lawyer was “temporarily remanded…over his failure to submit promised evidence…[and] spent a few minutes in the holding area for prisoners on Wednesday” (SN September 30) is indeed disturbing. Police Legal Adviser Mandel Moore had failed on several occasions to provide a video to a Magistrates’ Court presided over by Magistrate Leron […]