Lawsuit against JLSC

Sturge, who is an Opposition Senator, represented by his fellow attorney Gerald Ramdeen, is questioning the appointment of the three judges to the High Court.

In his judicial review application, filed yesterday at the Port of Spain High Court, Sturge is seeking declarations that the JLSC’s failure or refusal to notify him of the approval or refusal of his request for information under section 15 of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) was unlawful, illegal and irrational.

He has also asked the court to direct the JLSC, in seven days, to take steps to notify him of its decision and order the commission to provide copies of the information he wants.

On April 19 Sturge filed a request under the FOIA on the appointments of attorney Kevin Ramcharan, magistrate Avason Quinlan-Williams and chief magistrate Marcia Ayers-Caesar.

In the request, Sturge noted that each candidate who applied for the position of Puisne Judge of the Supreme Court was required to take a written exam and to undergo a psychometric assessment by an independent service provider.

Sturge sought a copy of the examination administered, the names of the JLSC members of the JLSC responsible for setting the examination and the names of the members responsible for marking the exam.

Sturge is also seeking the names of those who wrote the exam, the marks awarded to each candidate, the name of the independent firm carrying out the psychometric testing and the tendering process involved.

Ayers-Caesar, Quinlal-Williams, wife of acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams, and Ramcharan were sworn in by President Anthony Carmona on April 11.

Two days after, several prisoners staged a near-riot at the magistrates court and on April 25, Ayers-Caesar resigned as a judge when it was discovered she had left behind more than 50 part-heard cases, despite her claims to the contrary.

Sturge in his lawsuit said the JLSC was a public authority and its decisions were open to judicial review and subject to fundamental principles of fairness.

He said he filed the claim as a citizen, a member of the legal profession and a parliamentarian directly affected by the JLSC’s actions