CCJ boots discrimination lawsuit against legal education council

The legal challenge brought by Trinidadian Jason Jones alleging that the admissions process adopted at regional law schools discriminates against holders of non-University of the West Indies (UWI) law degrees has been dismissed by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).

Among the qualifying law schools singled out in court were the Norman Manley Law School in Jamaica, the Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad and Tobago and the Eugene Dupuch Law School in The Bahamas.

In July Jones filed an application for special leave against the Council of Legal Education (CLE), the Council for Social and Human Development and the Council for Trade and Economic Development.

The CCJ found favour with the objection raised by attorneys representing the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the CLE that the court had no jurisdiction over the CLE. It noted that the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, which was made in 2001, after the agreement establishing the council, makes no mention of the CLE or the agreement.

Additionally, the court found that the CLE was not a principal organ of CARICOM and that it did not enjoy the status of an institution or associated institution of the group and as such, proceedings could not be commenced against the CLE as an institution of the community.

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