The Tribune

By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

THE number of criminal cases coming before the Magistrate’s Court increased during 2012, according to Chief Magistrate Roger Gomez.

Delivering his annual New Year’s message, Mr Gomez said the same went for civil matters in what was a busy year for the lower court.

He said: “There’s been an increase in the cases, in criminal and in civil.

“There was a reduction in the amount of murder cases coming before the courts but overall, we’ve still been having a lot of cases coming in, both criminal and civil.”

“There’s been a big increase in civil cases because I think Bahamians are nowadays becoming more litigious, more like Americans – they’re anxious to sue you.

“And also I think because of the economic situation, we’ve seen more cases for rent control. More people have been falling back on the payment of rent and we’ve been having a lot of landlords coming in.”

An increase in family matters has also been a concern, the chief magistrate said, adding that a report conducted by the re-established Family Courts System Committee, already been submitted to Attorney General Allyson Maynard-Gibson, discusses the possible establishment of an 18,000 sq ft Family Court.

“There’s been such an increase in the amount of family cases that we’re going to have two family courts very soon. The reason for that is that unlike criminal cases you can put on the burner for a few months, family cases are much more urgent.”

He explained that if a husband and wife are fighting, it does not make sense to send them away for three months.

“You have to try hear it as soon as possible,” he said.

“So time is more of the essence in family cases and that’s why we are establishing another family court. We’re trying to expedite the cases. It’s really too much for one magistrate to be hearing right now.”