JUST IN: Court sets March date to hear Andrew Holness' appeal

The Court of Appeal has set March 16 and 17 for the hearing of the appeal filed by the Opposition Leader Andrew Holness in relation to the current Senate crisis.

The court's president, Justice Seymour Panton informed the parties involved of the dates this morning.

Justice Panton says he had to push aside other cases to accommodate the Senate matter.

And he complained that the the lack of space is hampering the use of more judges to quickly dispose of more cases.

Holness filed an appeal challenging the Constitutional Court’s ruling that he was wrong when he used undated, pre-signed resignation letters to remove Dr Christopher Tufton and Arthur Williams from the Senate in 2013.

His decision to appeal the ruling came after the Clerk to the Houses of Parliament, Heather Cooke, filed an application in the Supreme Court asking for a determination on the standing of Williams and Tufton and their replacements Dr Nigel Clarke and Jamaica College principal Ruel Reid in the Senate.

Meanwhile, Queen's Counsel, Michael Hylton, who is representing the clerk, says their case will be postponed until the Appeal's Court hears and rules on Holness' appeal.

The lawyers say a ruling by the appellate court would resolve the matter sooner.