By Precious D. Freeman
The Debt Court of Montserrado County presiding Judge, James E. Jones, has called for a significant reduction in the time the court takes to process cases, citing concerns over lengthy delays.
Speaking recently during the formal opening of the court’s January term, Judge Jones highlighted that the average case processing time is currently about six months, which he deems excessive.
Judge Jones emphasized that the court should aim to expedite cases from an average of six months to just six weeks; questioning, “What can be done here at the Debt Court to reduce the time from six months to six weeks?”
To address these delays, Judge Jones plans to implement more effective pre-trial conferences and streamline trial procedures.
He expressed confidence that these changes will make trial processes more predictable and reduce unnecessary delays.
The judge also criticized the practice of accepting flimsy excuses from lawyers, noting that such delays contribute significantly to the prolonged adjudication of cases.
He urged lawyers to be thorough and deliberate in their pleadings to avoid unnecessary contentions and issues stating, “Lawyers must be deliberate and thorough in their pleadings to avoid unwarranted contention and unnecessary issues.”
Judge Jones further said cases should only be filed when all necessary witnesses and evidence are ready, despite statutory limitations.
He also stressed the importance of cooperation from lawyers to ensure the swift advancement of cases where their interests are not at stake.
The judge acknowledged that the court’s previous practices had not yielded the desired improvements, stating, “We have over time done the same things the same way and obtained the same result the slow processing of cases from filing to judgment.”
He also mentioned that the court would be rigorous in enforcing judgments, particularly ensuring that 25% of the judgment amount is paid before the guilty party leaves the court.
Some lawyers called on the court to focus more on judgment enforcement to bolster public confidence in the judiciary.
Cllr. Mulbah noted, “We want the court to enforce its judgments. This will restore public confidence and dispel the notion that the judiciary is corrupt.”
The Debt Court of Montserrado County handles civil actions for debt recovery amounts ranging from $2,001 to $15,000 and shares concurrent jurisdiction with the Commercial Court for amounts exceeding $15,000.
The court follows circuit court procedures in enforcing its judgments and appeals do not stay enforcement unless there is a dispute over the debt amount or denial of a fair hearing.
Judge Jones’ initiatives aimed to address the inefficiencies in the court system and improve the overall administration of justice.
