All court buildings closed because of covid19

ALL COURT buildings have been closed because of covid19 until further notice.

The Judiciary, in a statement on Wednesday morning, said court buildings would remain closed to the public, with some exceptions.

The statement said while exemptions were applied to certain listed buildings, they may also be closed temporarily from time to time to review the covid19 status of staff and for sanitisation.

It said, “To safeguard your health and safety, if you must conduct court business at this time, please use our online services and contact us for emergencies.”

The statement said as an essential service, and to safeguard the health and safety of the public, court users and staff from the spread of covid19, arrangements have been made to ensure continued access

A number of virtual processes have been implemented to replace in-person visits to courts.

The Judiciary also said it was working on the launch of a new call centre, acknowledging there may be heavy traffic. This is expected to be up and running by mid- to late May.

It said it will soon be possible to pay fines by credit or debit card online, and point-of-sale Linx and credit card payments, as well as other payment methods, including those that accept cash, will soon be approved.

The public will also be able to pay bail by credit card online and, hopefully, by other electronic means. Meanwhile, bail must be paid by certified cheque, manager’s cheque or draft.

The following are Judiciary services that can now beaccesseded online or via telephone:

Domestic Violence (DV) Hotline For Domestic Violence matters and protection orders

• Phone: 866-DVCT (3828)

• E-mail: domesticviolence.response@ttlawcourts.org

E-Filing

Use eFiling Portals to file applications, including civil, petty civil, summary, criminal/summary, children, family and probate (large estates): https://eservices.ttlawcourts.org/filing

CourtPay

Convert2CourtPay to collect and pay maintenance funds.

• E-mail: Convert2courtpay@ttlawcourts.org

• CourtPay Hotline: 866-CPAY (2729)

Virtual court hearings

Court hearings take place online. Any hearing dates that have been given will stand unless informed otherwise. Check your attorney to give you details. Inmates appear before the court from video conferencing centres at the prisons.

Virtual Access Customer Centres (VACCs)

If you don’t have access to the internet for your hearing, arrange to use VACCs in North and South Trinidad and in Tobago. See locations and addresses below.

Notice to contest a traffic ticket

File your application to contest your traffic ticket online on the Judiciary’s website: https://contest.ttlawcourts.org.

In the event of emergency, appointments to certain exempted courthouses or to a Virtual Access Customer Centre (VACCS) can be made via telephone.

The following were defined as exempted or as virtual access customer centres (VACCs):

NORTH

Arima: Former UTT Campus, O'Meara Industrial Park

Port of Spain: Judiciary Administration Building, Kings Court, Frederick Street

Judiciary Administration Building, 48 St Vincent Street.

Children Court North: 6 Elizabeth Street, St Clair

SOUTH

Point Fortin Point Fortin Magistrates’ Court

Princes Town Family Court and District Court

TOBAGO

Scarborough Hall of Justice, Tobago

Scarborough Magistrates’ Court

Family Court

These are the circumstances that qualify as emergency situations:

Self-Represented Litigants: Self-represented litigants whose limitation periods are about to expire may, by appointment, attend at the Supreme Court locations, Scarborough District Court or a VACC to e-file at the Judiciary e-filing kiosks.

Probate: Filings For large estates will only be accepted via the Judiciary’s Online E-Portal. Grants will be distributed by appointment onset days only. We will contact our customers.

Bail: Cash bail can only be paid at the Hall of Justice. Port of Spain, the Supreme Court Building in San Fernando and the Scarborough District Court in Tobago. It must be paid by certified cheque, manager’s cheque or draft urgent requests.

All other services including payments into and out of court will only be facilitated based on the urgency of the matter.

More information can be found at http://www.ttlawcourts.org/