Peter champagnie biography

WESTERN BUREAU:

With efforts under way to make the local courts more efficient, including resolving a huge case backlog, attorney-at-law Peter Champagnie, KC, believes that financially sanctioning legal players whose actions result in drawn-out matters could help.

Champagnie, who has served at the legal bar for close to three decades, told The Sunday Gleaner that such a move would discourage both prosecution and defence lawyers from letting court matters languish.

“In those circumstances where there is unnecessary delay, consideration should be given to some kind of sanction in the way of cost, because it obtains in the civil arena, in the civil court, so why not the criminal court?” Champagnie reasoned, noting the wasted court costs.

“I can understand instances where a witness is sick or has died, but, certainly, in instances where there is no excuse other than poor preparation or lack of pre