PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC -The Caribbean Courtroom of Justice (CCJ) confirmed the dying of Justice Jacob Wit, who retired from the area’s closing Courtroom final week resulting from ailing well being, on Tuesday.
In an announcement, the CCJ mentioned that Justice Wit, 71, was a member of the inaugural CCJ bench in 2005 “and diligently served till his retirement in December 2023.
“This native of the Netherlands was an eminent jurist with vast authorized experience in personal legislation, industrial and admiralty legislation, insurance coverage, chapter, and insolvency, firm legislation and mental property, felony legislation, navy legislation, administrative legislation, constitutional legislation, and worldwide human rights legislation,” the CCJ mentioned.
Earlier than becoming a member of the CCJ, he adjudicated circumstances in Curaçao, the Netherlands Antilles, and the Dutch Windward Islands of Sint Maarten, Sint Eustatius, and Saba.
“It’s a unhappy day for the Courtroom. Justice Wit and I’ve labored collectively since 2005, after we shaped a part of the inaugural Bench of the Courtroom. He was the lone Civil Legislation Decide on the present CCJ Bench with wealthy expertise in navy, administrative, constitutional, and worldwide human rights legislation.
“His involvement with the CCJ Academy for Legislation and his function in coordinating the Academy’s most up-to-date Biennial Convention and Regional City Corridor specializing in crime, paired along with his ardour for regional felony justice reform, are acknowledged and deeply appreciated. I’ll miss him and his contributions to the Courtroom and the area,” mentioned CCJ President Justice Adrian Saunders.
The CCJ described Justice Wit as “a polyglot, with fluency in a number of languages and shall be remembered for his wit inside and outdoors the courtroom.”
He additionally served as a Rating Member of the CCJ Academy for Legislation and was the President of the Constitutional Courtroom of Saint Maarten, a part-time function. Not too long ago, Justice Wit was the 2020 recipient of the Nederlandse Juristen Vereniging Award due to his lengthy and influential contributions to forging and sustaining public belief within the judiciary in a turbulent atmosphere.
The CCJ mentioned Justice Wit was additionally fondly regarded and extremely revered by his friends on the Bench, the Courtroom, and all the area.
“His judgments and wealthy contribution to the CCJ Academy for Legislation work will endure. The Courtroom will conduct a particular sitting and open a condolence guide to acknowledge the Decide’s contribution. Our sincerest condolences are prolonged to his household,” the CCJ added.
Associated
