Magistrate Tamia N. Richards suffers broken leg; Cases moved to 2025
Details of how and where it happened were not immediately available at publication time; however, it is believed she had to be taken to Dr D Orlando Smith Hospital for medical care, according to a family member speaking to our newsroom on condition of anonymity.
Justice delayed is justice denied
However, two Attorneys and four residents with matters before Ms Richards told our newsroom that while they wished her a “speedy recovery and wished her well” they were very disappointed that all her cases and rulings are now adjourned until 2025, leaving many persons with delayed justice.
It is unclear if there are any other Magistrates available to take up her cases or even read her rulings. Residents continue to frequently complain, with no remedy in sight about the Judicial System and how often cases are adjourned because the Crown is not ready to proceed, they can’t find witnesses or police reports, or a Judge or Magistrate is out sick.
Only the clients (victims & the accused) suffer
It has cost residents thousands of dollars in attorney fees for flying in lawyers for what would usually turn out to be adjourned court cases. The same is true for residents who may have relocated overseas and have to spend huge sums flying in only to be told on the day of the case that the matter has been adjourned at the request, most often, of the state prosecution.
The one-man Commission of Inquiry (CoI) headed by a British national held a few years ago did not address the blatant injustice in the Legal and Judicial System where, for example, there are persons on remand at His Majesty’s Prison in Balsam Ghut on the main Island of Tortola for well over five years. Additionally, under the Virgin Islands legal system, the average civil and criminal matter takes up to five years to be concluded, even without adding in the appeal time.
Many believe the alleged corrupt and rotten judicial system was not addressed in the CoI because the courts and legal system are the portfolios of a British-appointed Governor.
26 Responses to “Magistrate Tamia N. Richards suffers broken leg; Cases moved to 2025”
LET ME REPHASE THAT STAEMENT, SHE SHOULD HAVE BROKEN ALL 2. WHEN IT COMES TO MEN IN COURT...
At Hmm. You're a dog. I'll just rest this here.
what's the different now, yes I hope she heal and not in to much pain but she can still have her matters dealt with on zoom..