San Pedro Justice of the Peace holds general meeting and participate in training

The San Pedro Association of Justice of the Peace (JP) and Commissioners of the High Court held their general meeting on Wednesday, May 15th, at the San Pedro Lions Den. The gathering also included a training session covering signing documents related to land purchases and transfers.
Representatives from the Lands Department attended the meeting and delivered a comprehensive presentation. They underscored the pivotal role of Justices of the Peace in signing documents for property purchases, addressing some of the members’ concerns. Since many attendees are new JPs, their insights were particularly valuable in ensuring they were well-informed before signing any document.
The president of the island association, Naie Duran, reiterated the importance of thoroughly reviewing land documents before signing, citing previous cases of fraud. Her advice was clear: new and prospective JPs must be vigilant and provide insights into what to look for in a document before signing. Duran also stressed the importance of contacting authorities to verify information if something seems suspicious, such as verifying signatures and travel documents, a crucial step in maintaining the JPs’ credibility.
The meeting and training were well-received, and organizers mentioned that more sessions would be planned to help JPs perform their duties effectively. These duties include exercising concurrent jurisdiction with Magistrates in issuing summons, warrants of arrest, search warrants, and other court processes, granting, denying, or fixing bail, and remanding or committing people, among other responsibilities.
The next San Pedro JPs Association meeting is scheduled for June 9, 2024.