Excessive delays in delivering judgment by a court can be grounds for an appeal to the Privy Council. Shane Quinn examines recent judgments from the British Virgin Islands
- The right of appeal to the Privy Council is not automatic, but it is possible in certain circumstances.
- It remains to be seen whether the recent appeals will succeed on the grounds of delay. But it is clear the Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeal treats delays seriously and will use its powers for the benefit of aggrieved parties. This should provide comfort to international clients.
Commercial litigation can often seem like a long and expensive process, whether a party is prosecuting or defending a claim. Charles Dickens’s description of the fictional case of Jarndyce v Jarndyce in Bleak House has created a reputation for the legal system of interminable delay and expense, which at times seems difficult to shake off.
Perhaps worse than a drawn-out legal battle, however, is an excessive delay between the conclusion of proceedings and the delivery of judgment by the court. But what
