Tag: Chief Justice Anthony Smellie
Cayman’s own gongs relaunched for 2021
(CNS): People are being invited to submit nominations for local awards within the national honours system that was relaunched by government on Monday. The Order of the Cayman Islands was created in 2010 by then premier McKeeva Bush as part of his vision for nation building. But after the 2013 awards, the local gongs were […]
Jury trials postponed for 3 weeks
(CNS): Once the three-month long ‘gold’ trial wraps up this week, the Grand Court is suspending all other jury trials for a period of six weeks, Chief Justice Anthony Smellie said in a statement from the courts Thursday. As the courts take action in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, they will be focusing on […]
Court project delayed by redtape
(CNS): Chief Justice Anthony Smellie has said that red-tape is holding up the redevelopment of the Scotia Building, acquired by the government more than a year ago to provide much needed new court rooms. Speaking at the annual official opening of the Grand Court, on Wednesday, he told the legal fraternity gathered for the event […]
CJ calls for challenge to lax US gun laws
(CNS): Cayman Islands Chief Justice Anthony Smellie has called for Jamaica to lead a regional challenge against the United States’ lax gun laws, which is allowing illegal trafficking of weapons in the Caribbean. Speaking in the neighbouring island recently, CJ Smellie said that tabling a resolution at the United Nations signed by regional leaders would […]
Lack of lawyers and space fuel crime case backlog
(CNS): The backlog of criminal indictments carried over from 2018 into this year is the largest ever, Chief Justice Anthony Smellie told the Cayman Islands legal profession Wednesday at the annual opening of the Grand Court. Cases are not being disposed of due to shortages of both space and defence lawyers willing to take on […]
CJ clears way for judicial review of gay marriage
(CNS): Chief Justice Anthony Smellie will be hearing what is likely to be a landmark case in the Cayman Islands after he approved on Wednesday the application for a judicial review of the General Registry’s refusal to give two women a marriage licence. Chantelle Day and Vickie Bodden, who were denied the right to marry in April […]
Chief justice dismisses claims in massive Saudi fraud trial
(CNS): The biggest ever trial to be held in the Cayman Islands has finally concluded, after almost two years of deliberations, as fraud allegations in Saudi Arabia — centering initially on over US$9 billion of debt — were dismissed by Chief Justice Anthony Smellie in the case known as SAAD, which brought the eyes of […]
Governor approves CJ’s service on Bermuda’s appeals court
(CNS): Governor Anwar Choudhury has given Chief Justice Anthony Smellie his approval to serve on the Court of Appeal of Bermuda. Officials said that he will make his debut appearance on the appeals panel in June, when he will be away from office in the Cayman Islands on leave, and that similar arrangements will be in place for […]
Judge facing DUI charge remains on bench
(CNS): The chief justice’s office has confirmed that Justice Ingrid Mangatal, who is facing DUI and careless driving charges, is still sitting on the judicial bench. However, the judge will be on leave at the end of next week, when she is scheduled to appear in Summary Court to answer the charges in front of […]
Premier accuses CJ of not having a plan
(CNS): Comments by Chief Justice Anthony Smellie about government’s failure to address the much-needed court-house were refuted by the premier during his Chamber of Commerce Legislative Lunch speech Thursday, though he acknowledged the much-needed facility has been under discussion for a decade. While Alden McLaughlin said he agreed with the chief justice about the court-house being […]
Chief justice accuses CIG of ignoring judicial crisis
(CNS): Chief Justice Anthony Smellie pulled no punches in his address at the 2018 Opening of the Grand Court Wednesday, when he criticised the government for failing to understand the constitutional crisis in the justice system and the urgent need for a new court-house. He has raised the issue almost every year because the current […]
