By Dwaymian Brisette From OECS

Friday, March 6, 2020 — The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) hosted a Media Briefing and Launch of its E-Litigation Portal on Tuesday 3rd March, 2020 at 9:00am at the High Court of Justice, Montserrat High Court, Brades, Montserrat.

The E-Litigation Portal is now LIVE in the Territory of Montserrat for the filing of new High Court Civil and Court of Appeal matters. Montserrat became the sixth Member State and Territory of the ECSC to benefit from the use of the E-litigation portal. The E-Litigation Portal first went live in the Territory of the Virgin Islands on 12th November 2018 for the management of new matters filed in the Commercial Division of the High Court. 

Her Ladyship, the Honourable Dame Janice M. Pereira, Chief Justice who appeared LIVE via video in her featured address shared with the audience the benefits that citizens or residents of Montserrat will realize with the launch of the E-Litigation portal in the Territory. The Honourable Chief Justice also underscored to members of the audience attending the launch the benefits the E-Litigation Portal will provide in the dispensation of justice. 

Two key benefits are:

1. The portal is a platform which will transform the way in which the court and legal practitioners do business both in terms of time and costs in the long term; and
2. Court users can now file documents online at any time and from any location. This new technology will revolutionize how members of the public interface with the Court and how the Court manages documents. The Honourable Chief Justice expects that the launch of the E-Litigation Portal will increase operational efficiency; transparency of court services, and improve access to Justice in the Territory.

The launch of the E-litigation portal in Montserrat would not have been a success without the invaluable assistance from the Government of Montserrat. The Honourable Chief Justice thanked the Honourable Premier and members of the government and the Honourable Attorney General and her team for providing the legislative support, where needed, for the implementation of the E-litigation portal in the Territory. 

The launch of the E-Litigation Portal was attended by judicial officers of the ECSC; The Honourable Joseph Easton Taylor-Farrell, Premier of The Territory of Montserrat; members of the Government; The Honourable Mrs. Sherrie Jemmotte-Rodney, Attorney General of Territory of Montserrat, Ms. Vashti Chatoor; Chief Magistrate and Ms. Piyumini Weeratunga, Senior Magistrate; Permanent Secretaries in the various government Ministries; Legal Practitioners from the private and public bar; Members of the Media; and Members of Staff of the ECSC Headquarters and the High Court of Montserrat.

About the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court:

The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) was established in 1967 by the West Indies Associated States Supreme Court Order No. 223 of 1967. The ECSC is a superior court of record for the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), which includes six Independent States: Antigua and Barbuda, the Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines; and three British Overseas Territories: Anguilla, The Virgin Islands, and Montserrat. The Court has unlimited jurisdiction in each Member State and Territory.

To learn more about the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court and the e-Litigation Portal please visit our website at: www.eccourts.org or call us at Tel: 758-457-3600.