CCJ announces revised arrangements for assignment of judicial panels

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – The Trinidad-based Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) on Wednesday said it has implemented, with “immediate effect”, revised arrangements for the assignment of judicial panels.

“Under the new arrangements, all judges of the court will sit on all panels, subject to a judge being formally excused from sitting for a legitimate reason,” the CCJ said in a statement.

It said that the arrangements “are intended to promote consistency, transparency, and flexibility in the allocation of judicial work and to support the efficient administration of justice”.

The move by the CCJ follows ongoing controversy sparked by the leak of internal communications that formed the subject of a story published by the Sunday Express newspaper on August 9.

The newspaper had reported that Justice Winston Anderson, who became the fourth CCJ president on July 6, 2025, had been accused by a majority of his fellow judges of governing the regional court in an “authoritarian” and “dictatorial” manner.

The newspaper said that the complaints range from unilaterally imposing a judicial dress code to allegations of “panel fixing” and attempts to influence the outcome of cases.

The disclosure by the newspaper led to the Regional Judicial and Legal Services Commission (RJLSC) stating that it would conduct “a transparent and independent review” of the allegations made against Justice Anderson.

The CCJ president, in a nine-page statement last weekend, described the allegation “as wholly untrue” and said that the constitution of panels has always formed part of the administrative responsibilities of the President of the CCJ.

“Since the establishment of the court, that responsibility has been exercised in accordance with long-established institutional practice and with the sole objective of ensuring the orderly, efficient and impartial administration of justice. It has never been exercised to influence the outcome of any proceedings.”

Anderson said he was also rejecting “entirely the suggestion that panels of this court have been constituted or altered to secure predetermined outcomes. Such allegations are unsupported by the facts, inconsistent with the court’s long-established practices, and contrary to the principles upon which this court has operated since its establishment. However, to put this matter to rest, going forward, every judge of the court will be required to sit on every panel, unless the judge opts out for a legitimate reason and is excused.”

In the statement on Wednesday, the CCJ reiterated that “the new arrangements take effect immediately”.

Follow The Gleaner on X, formerly Twitter, and Instagram @JamaicaGleaner and on Facebook @GleanerJamaica. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or email us at onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com or editors@gleanerjm.com.