Magistrate’s Court

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Magistrate's Court

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CONTACT THE MAGISTRATE'S COURT

The registries are managed by court officers of each respective district. There are three Senior Court Officers’ that look after each Division [Central/Eastern, Northern, and Western].

The Senior Court officer Suva is also responsible for all court registries and Magistrate’s Courts.

Apart from Lautoka, Labasa, Suva, and Nausori, all other district Magistrate Court registries also deal with all types of matters under Magistrate Court Jurisdiction.

The Navua, Nadi, Ba, Tavua, Rakiraki and Sigatoka Courts also sit as Small Claims Tribunals and their registries also process all claims as well as all execution of Small Claims Tribunal judgments.

BUSINESS HOURS:

Mondays – Thursdays: 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM

Fridays (except for gazetted Public Holidays): 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM

 

CASHIER:

Mondays – Thursdays: 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM

Fridays (except for gazetted Public Holidays): 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM

CONTACT OFFICERS-IN-CHARGE:

Rakiraki
Sulueti Sovilea

CONTACT THE MAGISTRATE’S COURT ONLINE:

 

    Magistrate’s Courts in Fiji are established by the Magistrates Court Act (Chapter 14)]. It is the Court of first instance and most civil and criminal cases are first heard in the Magistrate’s Court. Magistrate’s Courts handle Civil, Criminal, Traffic, Inquest and Juvenile cases. Recently the Courts have also expanded their services to process applications for Domestic Violence Restraining Orders. In some districts, the Magistrate’s Courts also handle Family cases in the general Registry with one staff member being designated as the Family Court clerk. In Civil proceedings a Magistrate Court has jurisdiction to hear all Contract of Tort claims where the amount claimed does not exceed $50,000 and proceedings between Landlord and Tenant where the annual rent of property does not exceed $5000. In the exercise of their criminal jurisdiction, Magistrates’ Courts have the powers and jurisdiction conferred on them by the Crimes Decree and Criminal Procedure Decree, the two Principal legislations.

    Central/Eastern

    This division extends from Navua to Tailevu and includes the islands of the Central/Eastern Division. There is one Senior Court officer [overall in charge Fiji] based at government buildings Suva and all the courts have court officers as managers of district courts. There are 12centres and 20 courts and one dedicated Juvenile Court in the CENTRAL/EASTERN Division.

    Resident Magistrates based in Nausori travel to Vunidawa and Tailevu once a week and Levuka for a week in a month. Suva based Resident Magistrates travel to Taveuni Lau/Lomaiviti, Rotuma, Kadavu and Taveuni as per court sitting calendar.

    Western

    This division extends from Sigatoka to Rakiraki town. Cases from the Yasawa and Mamanuca group of islands are all heard in Lautoka. There is one Senior Court officer looking after the Western Division based at Lautoka and all the other courts have Court Officers as managers of district courts. In the Western Division there are 7 centers and 11 courts.

    • Lautoka 3
    • Nadi 2
    • Ba 2
    • Tavua 1
    • Rakiraki 1
    • Sigatoka 1
    • Keyasi 1

    The Keyasi Court sits once per month and is administrated by the Sigatoka Magistrate’s Court Registry and the Sigatoka Resident Magistrate.

    Northern

    Under the administration of the Deputy Registrar Northern the Senior Court officer is overall in charge of Magistrate Court based in Labasa. In the Northern Division there are 3 centers and 5 courts. The Labasa Court Registry and The Resident Magistrate administrate the two outer centers Nabouwalu and Savusavu.

    CATEGORIES

    Magistrates

    Chief Magistrate

    Suva 

    Mr. Usaia Ratuvili

    Senior Magistrates

    Suva 

    Mr. Ropate Green

    Ms. Waleen George

    Resident Magistrates

    Suva Family Division

    Mr. Chaitanya Lakshman

    Ms Deepika Prakash

    Nausori Family Court 

    Mr Tomasi Bainivalu

    Nausori 

    Mr Shageeth Somaratne

    Mr Lasitha Chaminda

    Nadi

    Mr Peni Dalituicama

    Ms Nirosha Kannangara

    Ba

    Mr Samuela Qica

    Nasinu

    Ms Sufia Hamza

    Mr Charles Ratakele

    Suva 

    Mr Kashyapa Wickramasekara

    Mr Jeremaia Savou

    Ms Geethani Wijesinghe

    Mr Asanga Bodaragama

    Ms Seini Puamau

    Mr Indula Ratnayake

    Mr Joseph Daurewa

    Navua 

    Mr Thushara Thenakoon

    Sigatoka 

    Mr Cama Tuberi

    Labasa 

    Ms Senileba Levaci

    Mr Bimsara Jagodage

    Ba

    Mr Jioji Boseiwaqa

    Lautoka 

    Mr Jeremaia Lewaravu

    Mr Bandula Gunaratne

    Ms Nayani Kasturiratne

    Mr Sekonaia Vodokisolomone

    Savusavu

    Mr Timoci Qalinauci

    Tavua & Rakiraki 

    Mr Lisiate Fotofili

    Nadi 

    Ms Nilmini Ferdinandez

    Calendar

    1st session of 2019
    Tuesday 10th April – Friday 27th April

     

    2nd session of 2019
    Tuesday 13th August – Friday 30th August

     

    Magistrate’s Court Island Court

    Suva Magistrate Court registry handles the Island matters and the Officer in Charge is based in Magistrate Court Suva. The Resident Magistrates’ travel from Suva for court sitting according to the island court calendar.

     

    Kadavu Court Sitting

    The court is scheduled for one week in Kadavu every quarter of the year at four centres. The centres are:

    • Vunisea
    • Dauqele
    • Kavala
    • Buliya/Ono

     

    Lomaiviti/Lau Court

    The court session is for 2 weeks at every visit as per calendar. There are 9 centres where Court sitting takes place. The centres are;

     

    First Week

    • Moala
    • Matuku
    • Kabara
    • Lakeba

     

    Second Week

    • Nayau
    • Tuvuca
    • Vanuabalavu
    • Koro/ Gau

    Search Fees $2.30

    Criminal Fee(s) [VIP]

    Certificate of Court Proceeding $5.75

    Bailiff Application $23.00

    Bailiff Renewal $11.50

    Affidavit in Reply $11.50

    Charge & Summons $34.50

    Subpoena $5.75

    Notice of Motion $11.50

    Affidavit $11.50

    Motion & Affidavit $23.00

    Petition of Appeal/Notice $23.00

    Notice of Intention to Appeal $11.50

    LTA TINs $11.50

    Search Fee $2.30

    Photocopy Fees $1.15

    Civil Fee(s) [VIP]

    Amended Writ of Summons $11.50

    Notice of Motion $17.25

    Notice of Motion $17.25

    Notice of Intention to Defend $5.75

    Statement of Defence $11.50

    Statement of Defence & Counter Claim $34.50

    Reply to Defence $11.50

    Defence to Counter Claim $11.50

    Notice to Produce $5.75

    Summons to Witness (Subpoena) & Praecipe $5.75

    Notice of Change of Solicitors $5.75

    Notice of Discontinuance $5.75

    Judgement by Default $5.75

    Judgement by Consent $5.75

    Formal Decree $5.75

    Order $5.75

    Notice $5.75

    Affidavits (All) $5.75

    Notice to Appeal $11.50

    Grounds of Appeal $28.75

    Answer $5.75

    Submission No Fee

    Bankruptcy Request & Notice $5.75

    Bankruptcy Petition $13.80

    Affidavit Verifying Debt $5.75

    Receiving Order $5.75

    Bill of Cost for Taxation $5.75

    Workman’s Compensation $46.00

    Miscellaneous Action (All) $23.00

    Enforcement

    Writ of FIFA $28.75

    Judgment Debtor Summons $17.25

    Bench Warrant $63.25

    Order of Commitment $57.50

    Absconding Warrant $63.25

    Inter Pleader Summons $16.90

    Counter Claim (If exceeds $100)$20 + VAT ($3.00)

    Legal Practitioners Fixed Costs [Exclusive of Court Fees]

    Where the subject matter or amount recovered does not Exceed $2,000... $46.00

    Where the subject matter or amount recovered exceeds $2,000 But does not exceed $5,000... $69.00

    Where the subject matter or amount recovered exceeds $5,000 But does not exceed $10,000... $92.00

    Where the subject matter or amount recovered exceeds $10,000 But does not exceed $15,000... $115.00