Barbara Gayle, Contributor

Retiring Supreme Court Judge Glen Brown has expressed disappointment with the huge backlog of criminal cases.

Brown will leave the bench this month after 44 years in the government service. 

"The present system is archaic," he told The Gleaner, calling for special legislation to revamp the Circuit Court system.

For all of Brown’s tenure, apart from the Home Circuit Court in Kingston which sits weekly, circuit courts have sat for only four weeks or occasionally, six weeks each term.

According to Brown, during the four weeks, only a few cases can be tried because some matters, like murder, can last for more than a week.

He said there is a backlog of roughly 100 cases in rural circuit courts.

In the Home Circuit Court, the latest numbers were not immediately available.

However, up to April 2019, there were just over 1,000 cases to be completed.

Brown said more courtrooms will be needed if circuit courts are to sit continuously, as one parish judge in each parish court has to give up his courtroom for circuit sittings.

His main concern is that the constitutional rights of accused persons are being breached when they have to remain in custody for three to four years without trial.

Brown graduated from law school in 1977 and served as a clerk of court then as a crown counsel in the Attorney General’s Department before he was appointed a Parish Judge.

In 2010, he was appointed a Puisne Judge.

“I am happy that I was able to serve my country in many areas,” he said.

Brown was instrumental in the establishment of the Drug Court in Jamaica as well as the establishment of the Family Court in Westmoreland.

“On all accounts he is an excellent judge who has a very practical approach to the law, which led him to a position where we could always expect reasonable and fair judgments in all his matters,” said Queen's Counsel Tom Tavares Finson.

Judges retire at age 70 and Justice Brown’s retirement has prompted Tavares-Finson, who is also President of the Senate, to call for the age of retirement to be revisited with a view to increasing it.

Finson said Brown's retirement will create a vacuum.

Prominent  attorney, Bert Samuels also paid tribute to Brown.

“He understood the ordinary Jamaican and was for more of a practical resolution of his cases rather than strict adherence to formalities,” he said.

According to Queen’s Counsel Peter Champagnie Justice Brown has made an immense contribution to the dispensation of justice.

“His quiet disposition came hand in hand with a fearless approach to matters to be considered by him. To this always was a practical and fair treatment in all matters,” Champagnie added.

Married to attorney, Yvette Sibble-Brown, they are the parents of three children.

Fast five: Justice Glen Brown

1. He loves to cook his favourite dishes, ackee and salt fish, and stew peas with rice.

2. Justice Brown is a much sought-after motivational speaker.

3. The judge is a past student of Morant Bay High School in St Thomas

4. He is a sports enthusiast, a former high school cricketer and an ‘expert’ at playing dominoes.

5.  Brown is guided by his high school motto: ‘Seize the opportunity’.

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