The three Divisions (Central/Eastern, Western and Northern’ are overseen by the Senior Court Officers (Level I) of the Magistrates Court in Suva, Lautoka and Labasa, respectively.
Most of the Courts in the Districts are supervised by Court Officers. Apart from Lautoka, Labasa, Suva, and Nausori, all other district Magistrate Court registries deal with all types of matters under Magistrate Court Jurisdiction.
These registries also deal with the administrative matters for the Small Claims Tribunal, and the referees travel from Suva, Lautoka, and Labasa, respectively.
Mondays – Thursdays: 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Fridays: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM (except for gazetted Public Holidays)
SUVA
Government Buildings, Suva, Fiji.
PO BOX 2215 Government Bldgs, Suva.
Magistrate’s Court Criminal
Senior Court Officer I: +679 3211 484 / +679 9922134
Court Officer : +679 3211 406
General Enquiries: +679 3211 758
PO BOX 2217 Government Bldgs, Suva.
Magistrate’s Court Criminal Registries: suvamccriminal@gmail.com
Magistrate’s Court Civil
Senior Court Officer I: +679 3211 484 / +679 9922134
Court Officer: +679 3211623 / +679 9922184
General Enquiries: +679 3211 418
Magistrate’s Court Civil Registries: suvamccivil@gmail.com
NASINU
Saqa Street, Valelevu, Nasinu, beside Housing Authority.
PO BOX 7748 Magistrate’s Court, Nasinu.
Senior Court Officer II: +679 8925320 / +679 9922271
Enquiries: +679 8925390
Email: nasinumagct@@gmail.com
NAUSORI
Level 1, 3 Kings Building, Nausori Town.
PO BOX 227 Magistrate’s Court, Nausori.
Senior Court Officer II: +679 8924 855 / +679 9922276
Court Officer: +679 8924 856
Civil Clerk: +679 8924 869
Criminal Clerk: +679 8924 866
DVRO Clerk: +679 8924 865
Court 1 Clerk: +679 8924 868
Court 2 Clerk: +679 8924 872
Counter Clerk: +679 8924 874
General Enquiries: +679 8924 920
Email: nausorimagct@gmail.com
LEVUKA
Levuka Town, Ovalau.
PO BOX 66 Magistrate’s Court, Levuka.
Court Officer: +679 3440 355 / +679 9922491
Email: levukamagct@gmail.com
TAILEVU NORTH – KOROVOU
Deepwater Road, Korovou.
P O BOX 227 Magistrate’s Court, Nausori.
Officer In Charge: +679 8924 731 / +679 8301126
General Enquiries: +679 8924 730 / +679 8924 732
NAVUA
Serua Provincial Building, Vuninokonoko Road. Navua.
PO BOX 678 Magistrate’s Court, Navua.
Court Officer: +679 3460 654 / +679 9922291
Enquiries : +679 3460 644
Email: navuacourt@gmail.com
LAUTOKA
Lautoka Magistrates Court Complex – Along Tavewa Avenue, Lautoka.
PO BOX 103 Magistrate’s Court, Lautoka.
Senior Court Officer I: +679 666 1716 / +679 9922310
Support Staff/General Enquiries: +679 666 0016
Email: ltkamct@gmail.com
SIGATOKA
Lawaqa Road, Sigatoka.
PO BOX 87 Magistrate’s Court, Sigatoka.
Court Officer/General Enquiries: +679 6500 067 / +679 9922302
Email: sigatokacourt@gmail.com
NADI
Koroivolu Ave, Nadi Town.
PO BOX 1275 Magistrate’s Court, Nadi.
Court Officer: +679 670 0962 / +679 9922297
General Enquiries: +679 6701322 / +679 670 1762 / +679 670 0960
Email: nadict.judiciaryfiji@gmail.com
BA
Old Kings Rd, Ba Town.
PO BOX 430 Magistrate’s Court, Ba.
Court Officer: +679 667 4287 / +679 8308910
General Enquiries: +679 667 1817
Email: bact.fiji@gmail.com
TAVUA
Nabuna Street, Tavua.
PO BOX 516 Magistrate’s Court, Tavua.
Court Officer/General Enquiries: +679 668 0022 / +679 9922345
Email: tavuacourt@gmail.com
RAKIRAKI
Rakiraki Town.
PO BOX 87 Magistrate’s Court, Rakiraki.
Court Officer/General Enquiries: +679 6669 4349/ +679 9922347
Email: rakirakicourt@gmail.com
LABASA
Katonivere House – Hospital Road, Labasa.
PO BOX 56 Magistrate’s Court, Labasa.
Magistrate’s Court Criminal
Senior Court Officer II: +679 881 2694 / +679 9922443
General Enquiries: +679 881 5842 / +679 9922443
Magistrate’s Court Civil
Court Officer: +679 881 2794 / +679 9922443
Email: labasa.judiciaryfiji@gmail.com
SAVUSAVU
Ground Floor, Naturubu House, Savusavu Town.
PO BOX 160 Magistrate’s Court, Savusavu.
Court Officer: +679 885 0210 / +679 9922464
General Enquiries: +679 885 0272
Email: savusavucourt@gmail.com
TAVEUNI
Waiyevo Road, Between Taveuni Police Station and Telecom Fiji Exchange.
PO BOX 31 Magistrate’s Court, Taveuni.
Court Officer: +679 888 0484 / +679 9922490
General Enquiries: +679 888 0081 / +679 9922490
Email: taveunicourt@gmail.com
A resident magistrate shall, in addition to any jurisdiction which he may have under any other Act for the time being in force, have and exercise jurisdiction in civil causes-
Provided that such jurisdiction shall only be exercised where it is proved, to the satisfaction of the Court, that the person making default either has, or has had since the date of the order or judgment, the means to pay the sum in respect of which he has made default, and has refused or neglected or refuses or neglects to pay the same. For the purposes of this paragraph, any court may direct any debt due from any person, in pursuance of any order or judgment of that or of any other competent court, to be paid by instalments, and may, from time to time, rescind or vary such order.
Civil Proceedings in the Magistrate’s Court are initiated by way of Writ of Summons. A returnable date is given to the Writ of Summons on which all served parties are required to appear in Court. The Plaintiff is required to file an Affidavit of Service in the Civil Registry at-least 3 clear days before the returnable date to show proof that the Writ of Summons has been served on the defendant(s).
1. What happens in the court on a returnable date?
2. Defendant attends Court and Disputes the Claim
3. Calling of Witnesses
4. Filing and Sealing of Order
An order of Court may be sealed/perfected/furnished by either party to the case filed with the civil registry and a copy must be served on the other parties to the case without delay.
5. Civil Appeals
6. Enforcement of Court orders
An order of the High Court, Magistrate’s Court and Small Claims Tribunal can be enforced at Magistrate’s Court under the following options:
a. Writ of Fieri Facias (FIFA)
b. Judgment Debtor Summons (JDS)
c. Bankruptcy proceedings
d. Garnishee Summons
Magistrate’s Courts are established under the Magistrate’s 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, Domestic Violence Restraining Order and Juvenile matters.
All Criminal matters regardless of the seriousness of the charge have to be filed in the Magistrate’s Court. Criminal proceedings are those that are brought before a Court to seek the conviction and punishment of a person or body for the commission of an act that amounts to a criminal offence under the law.
In the exercise of their Criminal Jurisdiction, Magistrate’s Courts have the powers and jurisdiction conferred on them by the Crimes Act 2009 and Criminal Procedure Act 2009, the two Principal legislations or any other law for time being in force.
1. A magistrate may, in the cases in which such sentences are authorized by law, pass the following sentences, namely:
2. A Magistrate may impose consecutive sentences upon a person convicted of more than one offence in a trial, but in no case shall an offender be sentenced to imprisonment for a longer period than 14 years.
3. The sentencing limits prescribed in sub-section (1) may be further restricted in relation to Magistrates of certain classes as provided for in any law dealing with the establishment and jurisdiction of the Magistrates Court.
4. Where any magistrate of a certain class sentences an offender for more than one offence in a trial, the aggregate punishment shall not exceed twice the amount of punishment which that magistrate has jurisdiction to impose.
All courts which have tried any criminal proceeding and determined that a person has committed an offence, shall proceed to consider and impose any sentence or penalty in accordance with the procedures and range of sentencing options provided for in the Sentencing and Penalties Act 2009; and subject to any maximum sentence or penalty stated in the law which creates the offence.
An inquest is a judicial inquiry in common law jurisdictions, particularly one held to determine the cause of a person’s death.
“Cause of death” includes not only the apparent cause of death as ascertainable by inspection or post-mortem examination of the body of the deceased, but also all matters necessary to enable an opinion to be formed as to how the deceased came by his death and whether his death resulted in any way from, or was accelerated by, any negligent or unlawful act or omission on the part of any other person.
“Sudden Or Unnatural Death” means a death or disappearance where-
The Inquest matters are dealt pursuant to Inquests Act 1967, which clearly stipulates the duties of a Magistrate, who is assigned by the Chief Magistrates to hear the matter.
A Magistrate holding an inquest shall have all the powers exercisable by a Magistrate in holding a criminal trial under the provisions of the Criminal Procedure Act 2009 and shall give at least fourteen days notice of his or her intention to hold any inquest by the insertion of a notice in the Gazette and a notice, in such languages, as he considers desirable, in such editions of a newspaper published and circulating in Fiji or some part thereof, as he or she shall think fit.
A Magistrate holding an inquest, if he or she considers it expedient that the body of the deceased person should be examined by a medical officer in order to discover the cause of death, may, whether a post-mortem examination has been performed under the provisions of section 5 or not, issue an order to a medical officer to perform a post-mortem examination of such body, and may, for such purpose, order it to be exhumed.
The proceedings and evidence at an inquest shall be directed solely to ascertaining the following matters, and any matters relevant thereto, namely:-
“Domestic violence” in relation to any person means violence against that person (`the victim’) committed, directed or undertaken by a person (‘the perpetrator’) with whom the victim is, or has been, in a family or domestic relationship.
“Violence” means any of the following –
Causing or allowing a child to see or hear violence, as specified in paragraph (g), includes putting the child, or allowing the child to be put, at real risk of seeing or hearing that violence.
A person who suffers the violence is not to be regarded, for the purposes of paragraph (g) as having caused or allowed or put the child at real risk of seeing or hearing the violence.
A single act may amount to violence in addition a number of acts that form part of a pattern of behaviour may amount to violence even though some or all of those acts, when viewed in isolation, may appear minor or trivial.
The following Courts have jurisdiction to make orders under this Act –
An application under the Domestic Violence Act 2009 may be commenced in any of the Courts specified above and in addition those Courts may make an order under this Act when exercising jurisdiction in other proceedings before the Court, including proceedings relating to a criminal charge.
An application for an order under this Act maybe made in respect of –
Where an application is made under section 19(1) for the protection of a person over 16 years and the applicant is not the person intended to be protected, the applicant must demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Court that –
A prescribed police officer may apply to a Magistrate or Judge of a Court that has jurisdiction under the Act (referred to in this section as the “presiding judicial officer”) by telephone for an interim domestic violence restraining order.
Before applying for an order under this section the police officer must –
Where a presiding judicial officer to whom the application is made is of the opinion that it is not practical in the circumstances of the case for the police officer to appear before the Court to make the application, the application may proceed by telephone.
Where an application proceeds by telephone, the proceedings are deemed to be interim proceedings in Court before the presiding judicial officer.
Any order made by the presiding judicial has the same effect as an order made in Court under the Act.
As soon as possible after an order under this section is made, the police officer must –
An order made under this section is deemed to be a summons to the respondent requiring the respondent to appear before the Court at the time and place shown on the order.
Notwithstanding any other provision in the Act, where the Court that has jurisdiction under this Act is dealing with proceedings, other than proceedings under this Act, the Court may on its own motion make a domestic violence restraining order under this Act if the Court considers –
An order made by the Court on its own motion is an interim order and the Court must give directions in relation to –
Jurisdiction in relation to appeals
Section 72(1) applies to an order of a Court in proceedings under this Act, other than proceedings in relation to the criminal offence under section 77 of breach of a domestic violence restraining order, to –
Subject to section 73(3), an appeal from an order to which this section applies where it was made –
Subject to this section, an appeal against an order maybe commenced by a person who was –
An appeal must be commenced within 28 days of the date on which the order or decision which is the subject of the appeal was made.
Where an order was made with the consent of the respondent no appeal by the respondent lies in relation to that order without the leave of the Court which would hear the appeal if leave is granted.
Unless the Court that made the order appealed from otherwise directs –
NOTE:
Court considers DVRO matters as profoundly urgent and important therefore the matters are called forthwith without any sort of delay.
Mr. Usaia Ratuvili
Mr. Ropate Green
Ms. Waleen George
Mr Kashyapa Wickramasekara
Mr Jeremaia Savou
Ms Geethani Wijesinghe
Mr Asanga Bodaragama
Ms Seini Puamau
Mr Indula Ratnayake
Mr Joseph Daurewa
Ms Sufia Hamza
Mr Charles Ratakele
Mr Shageeth Somaratne
Mr Lasitha Chaminda
Mr Thushara Thenakoon
Mr Cama Tuberi
Mr Peni Dalituicama
Ms Nirosha Kannangara
Ms Nilmini Ferdinandez
Mr Jeremaia Lewaravu
Mr Bandula Gunaratne
Ms Nayani Kasturiratne
Mr Sekonaia Vodokisolomone
Mr Samuela Qica
Mr Jioji Boseiwaqa
Mr Lisiate Fotofili
Ms Senileba Levaci
Mr Bimsara Jagodage
Mr Timoci Qalinauci
The administrative matters are handled by the Suva Magistrates Court registry. The Resident Magistrates from all the Magistrates’ Court in Fiji are rostered to preside at the Island Courts.
The court is scheduled for one week in Kadavu every quarter of the year at four centres. The centres are:
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;