THE Assembly of Southern Lawyers (ASL) is calling for Chief Justice Ivor Archie to be investigated for his role in the Judicial and Legal Service Commission (JLSC) pressuring former chief magistrate Marcia Ayers-Caesar to resign as a High Court Judge.
Archie, as chief justice, is head of the JLSC.
The ASL's call came on March 24, hours after this country's highest court – the Privy Council – upheld the Appeal Court's declarations and orders on the unconstitutionality of Ayers-Caesar's removal as a judge, since the JLSC did not follow the section 137 process.
The Privy Council's ruling means Ayers-Caesar can, if she wants, resume duties as a High Court judge.
In a statement, the ASL said the ruling was a critical and historic moment for constitutional law and judicial integrity in Trinidad and Tobago.
"It finally confirms that the JLSC – acting as a collective constitutional body – exceeded its authority and acted in breach of section 137 of the Constitution by pressuring a sitting High Court judge to resign under unlawful and procedurally unfair circumstances.
"The ruling is clear: the conduct condemned was institutional. The JLSC as a body – including all of its members at the time – is accountable for the decision-making process that led to the unlawful removal of a sitting judge. The Privy Council did not single out any one individual, but instead found fault in the collective failure of the commission to act within its constitutional remit."
The ASL called for constitutional accountability and a response to the "constitutional breach."
“The ASL is not calling for scapegoating or personal condemnation. We are calling for institutional responsibility. We are calling for the appropriate constitutional response to a constitutional breach. This moment is not about blame – it is about the restoration of public trust in the administration of justice."
The ASL recommended an independent tribunal be formed to investigate the Chief Justice’s role in the matter.
“This is not a judgment of guilt, but a constitutionally mandated mechanism for investigating serious breaches by high judicial office holders.”
The body also recommended independent inquiries by the President into the institutional functioning and procedural integrity of the JLSC in 2017 and a parliamentary review of the commission’s accountability framework.
“This is not merely a legal matter. It is a test of our Republic’s constitutional maturity.
“When a constitutional commission vested with immense power acts unlawfully, there must be consequences — not to punish individuals, but to restore public trust in the institutions that guard our democracy.
“We must protect the Judiciary not only from political attack but also from internal failures that erode its legitimacy.”
Contacted for comment, Attorney General Camille Robinson-Regis said it would be premature to comment on the Privy Council’s ruling.
“This matter involves the actions of two independent constitutional entities – the Honourable Chief Justice and the Judicial and L
