Courts short of seven magistrates, five judges contributing to backlogs – Chancellor

The shortage of magistrates and judges is increasingly straining Guyana’s courts, with the Court of Appeal facing a backlog of around 2,000 cases, Chancellor of the Judiciary (ag), Justice Roxane George, revealed at the Opening of the Law Year 2026 earlier this week.

Justice George highlighted that while the Magistrates’ Courts handle about 90 per cent of the country’s criminal cases and civil matters such as domestic violence, family law, and landlord-tenant disputes, seven magistrate positions remain vacant out of an established complement of 30.

These gaps, largely due to promotions to the High Court or appointments as Commissioners of Title, have slowed inquests, appeal record preparations, and committal proceedings.

“In 2025, about 30,000 criminal cases and 700 civil cases were filed in Magistrates’ Courts nationwide,” the Chancellor said, noting that delays vary across magisterial districts but are worsened by staffing shortages in court offices. Efforts to introduce a new electronic case management and e-filing system are underway to improve efficiency and reduce administrative bottlenecks.

At the High Court, five vacancies for puisne judges remain, with appointments expected before mid-year. While judges largely manage their dockets, the volume of cases remains high, with 5,847 civil cases and 264 indictments filed nationwide in 2025.

The Court of Appeal, however, continues to struggle with the cumulative effect of years without sufficient justices, creating a backlog that has delayed access to justice. Justice George reminded that additional justices were appointed in 2025, and a robust case management system will now be implemented to clear pending appeals while managing new filings.

“Since the introduction of the e-litigation portal in January 2024, 607 appeals and applications have been filed, with 298 filed in 2025,” she said.

The Chancellor stressed that addressing human resource gaps, including filling vacancies across all levels of the judiciary, remains critical to improving efficiency and ensuring timely hearings.

She also called for continued collaboration with lawyers, law enforcement agencies, and justice sector partners to reduce delays and strengthen public trust in the system.