Minister of Justice and Attorney General Dorothy Lightbourne leads a procession of judges into the East Queen Street Baptist Church, downtown Kingston, for the assize service to mark the opening of the Michaelmas session of the Home Circuit Court yesterday. - contributed

Minister of Justice Dorothy Lightbourne says major plans to modernise and transform the nation's court system have commenced.

In addressing the assize service to mark the opening of the Michaelmas session of the Home Circuit Court at the East Queen Street Baptist Church, downtown Kingston, yesterday, she said the reform of the justice system includes training of staff for real, time court reporting as well as the computerisation of records of the civil registry and court diaries.

"These are all steps on the way to upgrading, modernising and transforming the nation's justice system," said Lightbourne, who is also the attorney general.

A work-in-progress

"We are well aware that it will be a work-in-progress for sometime to come," she added.

Lightbourne said another element of the reform currently underway was the acquisition of the three Caucus rooms at the Jamaica Conference Centre, in downtown Kingston, for use as additional courtrooms. She also noted that the general upgrading of the Supreme Court was 90 per cent complete.

The justice minister reminded the congregation that legislation had been enacted in the Houses of Parliament to increase the number of judges of the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal.

Cabinet also gave its approval for the minister to increase, by order, the number of resident magistrates in the island. A submission is now before Cabinet to establish the administrative arm of the courts, to be known as the court management service.

The Michaelmas session of the Home Circuit Court begins tomorrow.

Cabinet also gave its approval for the minister to increase, by order, the number of resident magistrates in the island.