The Cabinet of Antigua and Barbuda has approved the establishment of a dedicated night court to handle traffic-related offences, in a move aimed at reducing the backlog of cases and improving the speed of justice.
Night Court Traffic Offences
The announcement was made by Director General of Communications in the Prime Minister’s Office, Maurice Merchant, during yesterday’s post-Cabinet briefing.
Merchant explained the rationale for the decision.
“Cabinet expressed concern over the frequency of traffic accidents and violations, noting the significant impact that reckless and unlawful driving continues to have on public safety, property and the efficient administration of justice,” he said.
He added that the new court will focus mainly on traffic matters and is intended to ease pressure on the daytime court system.
“The Night Court will be specifically dedicated to the hearing of traffic cases and is expected to provide an efficient mechanism for reducing the existing caseload while improving the speed with which new matters are brought before the courts,” Merchant said.
The initiative is expected to come into effect within a matter of weeks, with the Attorney General indicating that personnel have already been identified to staff the court.
Once operational, traffic cases are expected to be removed from daytime sittings, allowing the regular courts to focus on criminal and other civil matters.
