Judges present advances in the judicial system and warn the CNM: “no turning back”

Santo Domingo. – The presidents of the First Civil Chamber and the Second Criminal Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice, Francisco Jerez and Justiniano Montero, highlighted the progress made in the Dominican judicial system and warned the National Council of the Magistracy (CNM) about the need not to encourage setbacks in the process of evaluation and eventual selection of judges. During the meeting “Justice and Media: Management Model and Results of the Supreme Court of Justice”, both magistrates agreed that the judicial efficiency achieved in recent years today constitutes one of the main pillars of legal security and economic development of the country, so they insisted that any decision must take into account the achievements obtained under the current model. Francisco Jerez highlighted that the evaluation of the Supreme Court judges responds to a constitutional mandate and that it is up to the CNM to carry out that process first before deciding on their permanence. However, he warned that “it is difficult to go back”, recalling that in the past citizens waited up to 10 and 20 years for a sentence, while currently more than 80% of the cases in the Second Criminal Chamber are resolved in a month. The magistrate emphasized that the transformation of the system has eliminated practices such as the “prompt dispatch,” because judicial decisions are available in an agile and digital manner, which has significantly reduced response times and improved access to justice.

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For his part, Justiniano Montero stated that the governance bodies must carry out a “conscious, mature and responsible” assessment of the performance of the judges, within the framework of respect for the rule of law. He indicated that this judicial model represents a manifestation of legal certainty that directly impacts public trust and the attraction of investments. “Strengthening the justice system affects key economic variables, such as confidence in government bonds and company shares,” said Montero, while ensuring that a modern and efficient judicial system projects the country as a safe destination for investment, especially in strategic sectors such as tourism. The statements come amid the expectation that the National Council of the Magistracy will convene the evaluation of 11 judges of the Supreme Court of Justice, whose term expired on April 4, in compliance with the provisions of the Constitution. Both judges insisted that the progress made has not only improved the administration of justice, but has also strengthened democratic institutions, so they stressed that any decision must guarantee the continuity and consolidation of the system.