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Antoinette Moore, SC, appointed to Supreme Court

HighlightsAntoinette Moore, SC, appointed to Supreme Court

6-month appointment to help clear backlog of criminal cases in Belmopan

Senior Counsel Antoinette Moore—best known as the lead attorney who has helped the Maya of Toledo score major land rights victories in Belize’s courts—will begin hearing criminal cases in Belmopan tomorrow, after a recent announcement that she has been appointed to serve as a temporary judge of the Supreme Court.

Moore was sworn in on Friday, January 17, to hear indictable criminal matters in Belmopan, and to help clear the backlog of cases.

Justice Denis Hanoman Singh has been dividing his time between Belmopan and Dangriga, so Moore’s appointment will allow him to better focus on clearing cases in Dangriga.

A statement issued by the Maya Leaders Alliance and the Toledo Alcaldes Association today said they congratulate Moore on her ascension to the bench for the current session of the Supreme Court.

“Through our work with Ms. Moore over more than a decade, we have a deep appreciation of her many qualities that will make her an excellent judge, including her deep commitment to justice, her independence, her extensive knowledge of the law, and her compassion,” the statement said.

It added that, “The Maya people from the 38 villages in the Toledo District are profoundly grateful for Ms. Moore’s assistance in the past and look forward to continuing to work with her in the future, and extend our support and expressions of delight at her appointment to the bench.”

Moore told us today that at this point, she still intends to conclude the MLA case, which is pending appeal before the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ). Moore expects to be done with her temporary appointment in Belmopan before the CCJ is ready to hear the Maya land rights appeal.

She stressed, though, that she has always worked with a team of legal experts on the case, and that team will continue to be engaged.

We understand that they may soon have a new addition in the person of Monica Coc, sister of Cristina Coc, who is poised to become Belize’s first Maya indigenous lawyer.

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