The number of judges at Guyana’s Appellate Court is set to increase from nine to 11 to tackle the backlog of cases in the judicial system. Attorney General Anil Nandlall made this announcement during his weekly program, “Issues in the News,” explaining that this change will be implemented through an amendment to the Court of Appeal Act.

Previously, the number of judges was raised from five to nine, but Nandlall emphasized the ongoing issue of a significant backlog of cases. He remarked, “Guyana is a very litigious country,” noting the heavy case load across all tiers of the system, including the Magistracy, High Court, and Court of Appeal.

With the recent expansion of the Appeal Court to include two courtrooms, each can now accommodate three judges hearing separate cases, while a further three judges can manage cases in different parts of the country. This arrangement allows for two judges to be available to cover for those on leave.

In November 2024, Nandlall expressed urgent concerns regarding the impact of delayed appeals, stating that people are dying and migrating while their properties are deteriorating due to the lack of hearings. He stressed the need for swift action to address this situation.

In 2024, the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) recommended ten individuals for appointment as new judges, and President Dr. Irfaan Ali officially appointed them. The new judges are Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus, Peter Hugh, Zamilla Ally-Seepaul, Deborah Kumar, Nicola Pierre, Priscilla Chandra-Hanif, Hessaun Yasin, Joy Persaud, Nigel Niles, and Jacquiline Josiah Graham.

Additionally, in October 2024, the JSC called for applications for the positions of Chief Magistrate and Commissioner of Title. Earlier, in February 2024, nine new magistrates were sworn in, including Tuanna Hardy, Teriq Mohammed, Abigail Gibbs, Tamieka Clarke, Orinthia Schmidt, Shivani Lalaram, Michelle Matthias, Omadatt Chandan, and Ravindra Mohabir.

Attorney General Nandlall noted that the reconstitution of the JSC in July 2023 was instrumental in facilitating these essential judicial appointments. The JSC, appointed by President Ali on July 14, 2023, consists of Chancellor of the Judiciary (ag) Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards, Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George, Chairman of the Public Service Commission Manniram Prashad, and retired Justices Carl Singh and Beasraj Singh (BS) Roy. The Chancellor serves as the Chairman of the Commission.

The JSC is a constitutional body responsible for overseeing the appointment, discipline, removal, and promotion of judicial officers, including judges and magistrates. Following its establishment, the Commission published vacancies to address personnel shortages within the judiciary and magistracy.