Magistrates’ Court in Belize City Undergoes Remodeling and Relocation

In April 2023 the Magistrates’ Court was temporarily relocated to a building on Coney Drive where the Treasury Department once was.  The relocation was necessary after the building on Treasury Lane was destroyed by Hurricane Lisa.  The then Chief Magistrate, Sharon Frazer, had reported that following the hurricane, only a small portion of the building was useful, and there was the urgency to have the building repaired and to have the court move to a more conducive working area.  During an exit interview with the former Attorney General, Magali Marin-Young, Love News learnt that the building is under construction, and has been remodeled to allow for a better flow of traffic and hearings.

Magali Marin Young, Former Attorney General of Belize: “So the High Court is, you know, we had to replace the roof. It is being remodeled. The entire Treasury Building is being converted to courtrooms. So we will no longer have the Magistrate’s Court at the bottom that building will be fully for the High Court. And we also have relocated the court to the National Bank Building and that too, so between the two buildings on Regent Street and the National Bank building further down, I think the High Court and Court of Appeal will have sufficient facilities. Ultimately though, there is to be a judicial complex, which will be the permanent place to relocate the judiciary, but that will take a couple of years to get done. So in the meantime, we are repairing the court facilities so that we could resume in-person hearings.”

Reporter: Any location identified for that Judicial Court? 

Magali Marin Young, Former Attorney General of Belize: “It should be beside the Eleanor Hall building. In that area.”