The Judiciary of TT has announced that all courthouses have been closed to the public until further notice in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19.
In a statement released by the Judiciary on Wednesday, a number of virtual processes have been implemented to replace in person visits to Courts.
The following are Judiciary services that can now be conducted online or via telephone:
Domestic Violence(DV) Hotline For Domestic Violence matters and protection orders
• Phone: 866-DVCT (3828)
• Email: [email protected]
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.
• Email: [email protected]
• CourtPay Hotline: 866-CPAY (2729)
Virtual Court Hearings
Court hearings are conducted online. Any hearing dates you have been given will stand unless you are told otherwise. Check your attorney to give you details. Inmates appear before the Court from Video Conferencing Centres at the nation’s prisons.
Virtual Access Customer Centres (VACCs)
If you don’t have access to the internet for your hearing, arrange to use our VACCs located 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 locations were defined as exempted or as VACCs:
According to the Judiciary, these are 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.
The statement also indicated that while exemptions were applied to the buildings listed, temporary closure may occur sporadically to review COVID-19 status of staff and for sanitization.
COMMENTS