Dominica now has a third judge

Dominican-born His Lordship, the Hon. Justice Davidson Kelvin Baptiste who was appointed Acting Judge of the Supreme Court of the Turks and Caicos Islands recently, is now Dominica’s third judge, and will deal with civil matters at the high court.

Minister for National Security and Legal Affairs Rayburn Blackmoore disclosed this during a press conference on Monday. “We are pleased this morning and very happy because that has been an ongoing discussion between the government, the Ministry of National Security and Legal Affairs and the government at its highest level, the Office of the Prime Minister, engaging the former chief justice on the need for a third judge, and we are happy that with the new Acting Chief Justice that we have been able to have that reality today going forward,” he said.

He continued, “ We are happy that we have our own son of the soil Mr. Davidson Baptiste, former appeal judge in the Caribbean region and of course a proud Dominican…”

Blackmoore added, “We are happy of course we can ensure that people with issues or grievances especially as it relates to civil matters can have their matters resolved in quick dispatch.”

Furthermore, Blackmoore said the judge is ready to go in terms of the logistics required and all the other enabling factors, ensuring that the third judge, “we are so happy to have with us today, can function.”

He went on to state that there is one judge to deal with criminal matters and two judges to deal with civil matters.

He explained that most criminal offenses will have to be disposed of by the magistrate court.

“At the magistrate’s court level we have most of the matters from a criminal standpoint being heard…,” he noted.

Meanwhile, Blackmoore announced that going forward, the government should progress toward the establishment of night court.

“What we have done, we have been able to engage one additional magistrate who is now posted in Portsmouth,” he noted. “We are advertising for two additional magistrates and we believe that we should move to a point to have night courts, especially as it relates to civil matters.”

“…Maybe it is better to have court sittings from 6 PM and beyond,” added Blacknoore, acknowledging the restraints of operating solely during business hours.

He further mentioned that the government of Dominica has ensured that the third court building is ready, in terms of the logistics, the proper recording systems, proper appliances, etc…

According to reports from wessexfairchild.com Justice Baptiste was admitted to practice in Dominica in 1984 (after being called to the Bar in the Commonwealth of Dominica in 1984), and then in the British Virgin Islands in 1993.

His Lordship is a graduate of the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, where he obtained his Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degree and a Master of Laws (LL.M) from the University of Wales. His Lordship obtained his Legal Education Certificate from the Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad and Tobago.

Before joining the bench, Justice Baptiste served as the State Attorney of the Commonwealth of Dominica from 1984 – 1986. From 1986-1993 he served the government and people of the British Virgin Islands as crown counsel, senior crown counsel, additional magistrate, acting registrar of the high court, and acting attorney general.

Upon returning to Dominica, Justice Baptiste practiced privately before returning to the public service in 1995-1998 where he served in various capacities including director of public prosecutions and solicitor general.

From 1997-1998 he joined the Bench of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court as acting high court judge assigned to the island of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

After serving the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court for a year, as an acting high court judge, Justice Baptiste returned to private practice from 1999 to 2001.

In May 2010 he was appointed as judge of the Court of Appeal of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court after acting in the post from April 2009 to April 2010.