Justice of the Supreme Court Husnu Suood has called on judges to provide more detail and clarification in their verdicts. He made the statement while speaking at the swearing-in ceremony of two judges for the Family Court of the Maldives.
Speaking at the ceremony held at the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), Justice Suood noted the mandate of the Family Court is different from other courts and that cases submitted at Family Court might take as long as 18 years to conclude. The justice said many cases remain open until the child in the case becomes an adult, and that the case might not even be concluded during that time. He said many cases involve a deterioration of social or familial connections and that these cases require peaceful discussions instead of laws.
He also said judges should give verdicts that clarify the proceedings of the court and on how the judge came to his or her conclusion, adding not providing a verdict in details results in the loss of public trust in the judicial system.
Also at the ceremony, High Court Judge Ali Sameer noted that most cases submitted at the High Court are from women over issues related to child support, domestic abuse, or divorce. The judge said most women who submit cases at the Family Court are courageous and desperate to find a solution to their problems. He also noted the Family Court previously consisted of only one female judge but that he hopes that the two newly appointed female judges will pave way for more female judges in the future.
The two newly appointed judges to the Family Court are Judge Zaeema Nasheed Abubakr and Judge Maisha Yoosuf.