Court Management Services (CMS)
Since August 2009, the Government of Jamaica, through the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) and in collaboration with the Public Sector Modernization Division (PSMD), Cabinet Office, has commenced the operationalization of an independent Court Services entity, referred to as the Court Management Services (CMS).
The move to establish the CMS was a direct result of a recommendation of the Jamaica Justice Sector review. It was recognized that the establishment of an independent Court Services entity would further support the thrust to clearly separate the administrative functions of the Judicial and Executive arms of Government as stipulated by the Constitution of Jamaica.
The establishment of the Court Management Service (CMS) serves to restructure the institutional framework through which administrative services are provided to the Courts and further strengthen Judicial independence. The agency’s establishment is designed to enable the Judiciary and the Courts to have greater input in budgetary decisions and execution of activities surrounding the operations of the Courts.
The CMS operates independently of the Ministry of Justice and is led by a Principal Executive Officer (PEO) who has accounting officer status, making him/her answerable to Parliament for the accounting functions of the organization. The PEO reports to the Chief Justice of Jamaica, who is the head of the Judiciary, and to Parliament in respect of accounting matters.
The organization is responsible for performing a range of Court-related administrative services which were previously carried out by the Ministry of Justice. Specifically;
1. Finance and Accounts
2. Human Resource Management and Administration
3. Information Communication Technology Services
4. Customer/Client Services
5. Property Management and Maintenance
6. Internal Audit.
Currently, members of the Senior Management team include Mrs. Deborah Patrick Gardner, Acting Principal Executive Officer. Miss Michelle Muir, Senior Director Human Resource Management and Administration (Actg.), Mr. Lascelles Ellis, Principal Finance Officer, Miss Shawn Ashman, Actg. Director of Information Communication and Technology and Miss Sydian Brissett, Director Communications and Client Services.
Since April 1, 2011 the Human Resource, Finance and Accounts and Communications and Client Services functions of the Courts have been formally transferred from the MOJ to the CMS. The CMS currently operates from offices on the 2nd floor of the NCB South Tower, 2 Oxford Road, Kingston. 10. The Ministry of Justice continues to perform some Court-related functions under a Memorandum of Understanding/Service Level Agreement with the CMS until the appropriate levels of human and financial resources are in place.
