Mr. Walter Bernyck, Counsellor and Head, Development Cooperation, High Commission of Canada speaks during the launch of the Criminal Bench Book for Magistrates and Parish Court Judges in the Caribbean Region at the CCJ Academy for Law 5th Biennial Conference on December 14, 2018 at the Pegasus Hotel in Kingston, Jamaica.
The Bench Book which was launched by the Judicial Reform and Institutional Strengthening (JURIST) Project is a compilation of rules of procedure distilled from primary legislation, case law, policy, and significantly, the contributions and experience of judicial officers practicing in the English-speaking Caribbean. It includes guidance on judgment writing and giving of reasons, procedures for dealing with vulnerable defendants and witnesses, sentencing options and methodology, and extradition proceedings, among others.
