Justice on trial!!

Defense attorneys demand transparency

Defense attorneys demand a say in judges’ appointments, and to be represented on JLSC and the General Legal Council, as well as more pay for legal aid services.

By William Ysaguirre (Freelance Writer)

BELIZE CITY, Mon. July 20, 2026

   The Association of Defense Attorneys of Belize is demanding that they be represented on the Judicial and Legal Services Commission (JLSC) and the General Legal Council, after expressing their strong disapproval last Friday, of the JLSC’s appointment of two (2) foreign judges to the High Court of Belize. They also demanded that the Chief Justice be removed as chair of the JLSC.

   The Association characterized the new appointments as “almost arrogant behaviour of ignoring and disrespecting half a dozen” qualified Belizean attorneys who applied for the same posts. The Association considered the new appointments, without their input, to “be a direct affront to its membership, and a continued disregard for [the] constitutional rights of the organization that represents the overwhelming majority of attorneys who regularly appear before that court.”

   The Association has notified the Government of Belize that it intends to pursue a constitutional claim for the government’s “continued failure to recognize and respect” their constitutional rights “to freedom of association and meaningful representation within Belize’s justice system”. They now feel that they “must take all necessary legal steps to protect the rights of their members.” Their statement cites that they are a duly registered professional body representing approximately 95 percent of active defense attorneys who appear before the criminal courts of Belize.

   They called on the government to fulfill the failed promises made by the Attorney General of several previous administrations to include the Association on the JLSC and on the General Legal Council, as the Association remains out in the cold. The Association said their concern is “for greater transparency, accountability, and confidence in a process that directly impacts the administration of justice in Belize,” and that its exclusion from these bodies “undermines transparency.”

   The Bar Association of Belize has responded with a statement expressing “outrage” at the defense attorneys’ complaints about the judicial appointments, arguing that the process is independent, and that unjustified attacks could compromise judicial independence.

   The defense attorneys were unfazed by the Bar Association’s sense of “outrage”, noting that they “have not seen the same level of urgency or outrage over the longstanding and serious challenges facing access to justice for ordinary Belizeans, the delays within our courts, the backlog of cases, and the continued struggles within the criminal justice system.” The Defense Attorneys say they simply want the selection of judges to “be clear, transparent, and inspire confidence among practitioners and the wider public.”

   The defense attorneys cite that it is they who represent accused persons daily in those courts, handle trials, and understand the realities of the criminal justice system, and therefore they should have a say about “the qualities and experience needed for judicial officers in those courts.” They cited that the Bar Association “has historically declined to accept court-assigned matters in those same courts,” so the defense attorneys queried why the Bar should now choose to publicly intervene on this issue, when they do not appear in the criminal courts.

   As leverage for their inclusion in the decision making process, the attorneys called on the Government to fulfill another promise made a year ago to increase the stipend paid for legal aid so that the service does not remain an undue burden on practitioners. They have already notified the Legal Advice & Services Centre (LASC) that they have found the current stipend to be inadequate, and that they will no longer accept new legal aid matters under the current fee structure, starting next month.

   They argue that the current legal aid fees do not fairly compensate attorneys for the time, skill, and responsibility required in representing accused persons. They say the current stipend risks undermining the quality of legal representation available to those who depend on legal aid. They noted that “the Association’s membership presently handles approximately 95 percent of all court-assigned legal aid matters.” They say their goal is not to cripple the justice system, but to compel the Government to keep its year-old promise.

   The officers of the Association: Richard “Dickie” Bradley, Audrey Matura and Orson J. Elrington attached their signatures to these communiques.