Civil Court stops accepting cases indefinitely

Civil Court’s council of judges has today decided to indefinitely stop accepting new cases, in addition to a cease on ongoing case handled by one of the court’s sections.

The decision follows the transfer of a Civil Court service counters, located on the ground floor of the Justice Building, to the authority of the Criminal Court. The transfer was carried out overnight without the Civil Court’s knowledge, according to the court.

Civil Court said that a large number people seeking Criminal Court related services had crowded around the Justice Building counter today, causing the atmosphere unsuitable to cater to Civil Court cases.

“The service counter located on the ground floor of the Justice Building, which the court uses as part of its trial section, in addition to administrative purposes and to register cases, was suddenly transferred under the Criminal Court by directly ordering the court staff and without officially informing the court or the judge in-charge,” Civil Court said.

Criminal Court’s Media Official Ahmed Mohamed Manik denied the allegations and said the said counter has been duly released to the Criminal Court. He said the court is using the counter to serve the increased number of applicants seeking to attest their local council application forms.

Criminal Court said that, in contrast to the usual amount of about 30 forms per day, the court has been receiving 350 to 400 requests since the Elections Commission opened for local council applications on Monday, and that they received over 800 forms today alone.

Criminal Court said they have started using the counter to accommodate the dramatic increase in criminal record clarification request.

Large numbers of people looking to compete in the local council election have started to attest their application forms from the relevant authorities as proof of lack of a criminal record or unpaid debt.