10 March 2015
President Comments on Court Closures
Commenting the President of the Law Society, Arleen Elliott said:
“The Department of Justice’s intention to close Newtownards Court House is of grave concern. The collective impact of court closures in Limavady, Strabane, Enniskillen, Magherafelt, Ballymena, Newtownards, Armagh and Lisburn courts will result in litigants, defendants and witnesses having to travel considerable distances to attend court.
The time spent by police officers, social workers and other professionals as they travel to and from Court buildings shall be an unjustifiable waste of public resource. We are faced with the prospect of serious overcrowding in other courts. Parties in youth, family and criminal courts will have shared facilities and vulnerable people will be at risk. Local justice is at stake”.