| Director of Public Prosecutions
The
Director of Public Prosecutions is responsible for:
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Advising
the Police and Government Departments on criminal matters |
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Prosecuting
criminal cases in the Supreme Court, Gun Court and the Resident
Magistrates’ Courts |
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Appearing
on behalf of the Crown in all criminal appeals |
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Supervising
coroners under the Coroners Act |
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Performing various other duties defined by Statutes and the
Jamaica Constitution |
Family Courts
Family courts have been established under the Judicature (Family
Court) Act of 1975 which aims to prevent family breakdown, and where
this is not possible, ensure that the welfare of the children is
protected.
There are four such courts in Jamaica: Kingston and St. Andrew;
Montego Bay, St. James; Westmoreland, and a sub-court in Lucea,
Hanover. These courts deal with all family matters except divorce,
and have jurisdiction only in the parishes where they are established.
In addition to its adjudicative responsibility, the Family Courts
provide or recommend social services to assist clients to sort out
their problems before legal action becomes necessary. These services
include family counseling, probation, child care and police adoption
and other services as necessary. Probation and Children’s
Officers also prepare reports for the courts to assist with decision
making.
Other programmes managed by the Social Services of the Family Courts
in Kingston/St. Andrew, are an Attendance Centre established in
1978, a Teenage Pregnancy Programme in 1980 and a Child Abuse Unit
in 1982. The Attendance Centre is a non-residential training centre
catering for approximately 50 students between the ages of 14 and
18 years who do not fit into the normal public school programme.
The Teenage Programme provides counselling and skills training.
Resident Magistrates’ Courts
The Resident Magistrates’ Court, which is a court of record,
is the first level of judicature in all criminal offences and civil
matters arising in Jamaica. A Resident Magistrate Court is located
in each parish, to which at least one Resident Magistrate is attached.
Each Resident Magistrate is the Coroner for the parish or parishes
of assignment.
The responsibilities of Resident Magistrates’ courts are set
out in the Judicature (Resident Magistrates’) Act, and in
several other Acts. These responsibilities include:
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Hearing
and determination of criminal, civil and juvenile cases |
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Processing
of adoption orders |
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Holding
of Coroner’s Inquests and preliminary inquiries into criminal
matters |
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Issuing
of Spirit Licenses for Landlord Bailiffs |
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Collection and/or disbursement of court fines and fees |
Administrator General’s Department
The Administrator General’s Department exists to protect minors,
beneficiaries and creditors in all intestates which by law it is
required to administer.
The Department was converted to an Executive Agency in April 1999
under the Public Sector Modernisation Programme. It is allowed to
use 50 percent of the fees charged for various services to offset
its operational cost. The remaining 50 percent of the fees collected
will be paid over to the Consolidated Fund. The strategic objectives
of this Agency are:
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Optimising
the net worth of each estate within the law, in order to maximize
the value that will accrue to the beneficiaries |
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Assessment
of entitlement and timely distribution of cash and assets of
estates to beneficiaries and creditors |
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Design and carry out public education programmes, in order to
ease the social burdens of intestacy and facilitate the administration
of inheritance laws |
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Improve
the cost effectiveness of operations, deliver core services
to agreed performance standards at cost, and generate additional
revenues through value-added services |
Attorney-General’s Department
The Attorney-General’s Department is responsible for the following:
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Advising
Government Ministries and Departments on legislation and legal
questions affecting the business of Government and representing
Government in all forms of civil litigation |
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Negotiating
both local and international agreements |
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Representing Government and its officers in judicial and quasi-judicial
matters |
Office of the Parliamentary Counsel
The Office of the Parliamentary Counsel is the legal drafting agency
of the Government established to:
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Prepare draft legislation in fulfillment of the Government’s
legislative programme and in pursuance of ministerial policy
decisions |
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Provide
counsel to Parliament in the exercise of its law-making powers
by preparing and advising on draft Bills |
In
carrying out these functions the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel
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Drafts bills and subsidiary legislation on instructions from
client ministries |
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Advises
ministries on points of law relevant to proposed legislation |
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Examines
and comments on all Cabinet Submissions involving legislation |
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Attends
meeting of the Legislation Committee (a sub-committee of Cabinet)
and, when necessary, sittings of Parliament or committees thereof
when Bills are being taken. |
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Click
here for the Ministry of Justice - Victim's Charter |
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| SUBJECTS |
- Administration of Justice
- Business of the Senate
- Conditional Discharge of Forensic Psychiatric Inmates (under amendment to Criminal Justice (Administration) Act 2006)
- Constitutional Reform
- Coroners
- Dispute Resolution
- Enquiries into the causes of Fire and Accidents
- Extraditions
- Justices of the Peace
- Legal Education
- Legal Profession
- Marriage Licences
- Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters
- Notaries Public
- Obscene Publication Act
- Protection of Human Rights
- Victim Support
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| DEPARTMENTS |
- Administrator General’s Department
- Attorney General’s Department (subject to the provision of Section 79 of the Constitution of Jamaica)
- Court of Appeal
- Director of Public Prosecutions (subject to the provision of chapter VI of the Constitution of Jamaica)
- Family Court
- Law Revision
- Legal Reform
- Office of the Parliamentary Counsel
- Police Public Complaints Authority
- Resident Magistrate Court
- Revenue Court
- Supreme Court
- Trustee in Bankruptcy
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