The en banc sitting of the Judges of the Supreme Court of Judicature of Jamaica scheduled for Friday March 26, 2021 at 10:00am has been postponed until further notice.
Negligence - Negligent misstatement – Age of motor vehicle – Duty of Trade
Administrator to verify year before issuing licence – Duty of Commissioner of
Customs to verify age during assessing of import duty – Whether Island Traffic
Authority to decode chassis number before issuing certificate of fitness – Motor
vehicle assessor’s duty of care – Whether assessor breached its duty of care –
Standard of care – Ancillary claim – Ancillary claim tried after release and
discharge without admission of liability. CPR 18.
Constitutional law - Right to a fair hearing within a reasonable time- Delay/impossibility of a judgment being delivered - Reasonable time guarantee- Remedies for breach of the section 16(2) right – Damages - Measure of damages - Whether summary assessment of the nominate torts would be an appropriate remedy – Costs - Costs thrown away – Section 16(2) the charter of fundamental rights and freedom
Constitutional law –– Freedom of expression – Freedom of religion – Equality
before the law – Right of every child to such measures of protection as are required
by virtue of the status of being a minor as part of the family – Right of a child to
publicly funded tuition in a public educational institution at the pre-primary and
primary levels – Equitable and humane treatment – Respect for and protection of
private and family life and privacy of the Home – Freedom from discrimination –
Compensation for mesne profits - Whether compensation includes the award of
interest - Award of interest - Whether Registrar has discretion to award interest –
Whether the compensation for mesne profits attracts interest payable on judgment
debts - Judicature (Supreme Court) Act ss. 12 and 51. Judicature (Supreme Court)
Additional Powers of Registrar Act ss. 3 (1) and 5 (1) - Law Reform (Miscellaneous
Provisions) Act - Civil Procedure Rules 12, 14 and 65.23.
Insurance law - Breach of insurance contract – Whether claimant breached the
terms of the policy – Incorporation of terms and conditions - Whether failure to
refer claim to arbitration is fatal. Motor Vehicles Insurance (Third-Party Risks) Act
sections 2 and 4. Arbitration Act s.5. Arbitration Act, 2017 s. 5.
Land law - Recovery of possession – Adverse possession – Whether claim filed after expiry of limitation period – When does right to bring claim accrue – Whether claimants dispossessed defendant – Whether defendant in legal possession of property - Limitation of Actions Act ss. 3 and 30. Registration of Titles Act ss. 68 and 88.
Division of [matrimonial property] - Family home – Whether property falls within the definition of the family home – Other property – Whether court can treat with claim as if made for division of property other than the family home – Relevant considerations. Property (Right of Spouses) Act sections 2,13 and 14.
Tort - Malicious prosecution -Whether claimant proved damage - Claimant identified while in holding area - Whether reasonable and probable cause to prosecute - False imprisonmnet - Whether initial arrest lawful - Claimant taken before court several days after being charged - Whether detention unduly long and unexplained - Assault - Claimant not cross-examined - Effect of failure to cross-examine.
