A second session of Tonga’s Court of Appeal that was scheduled for October/November this year has been cancelled due to the loss of vital positions in the Supreme Court Registry in Nuku’alofa.

The Chief Justice Hon. Michael Scott made the announcement on a written 'Notice of Cancellation of the October/November Session of the Court of Appeal' dated September 19, 2013.

He said owing to abolition and loss without replacement of vital positions within the Supreme Court Registry it had been decided that there was no alternative to cancelling the next session of the Court of Appeal.

“I very much regret this set back to the due and timely administration of justice, which is the result of decisions taken without consultation with the Supreme Court and beyond our control.”

First session

Tonga's Court of Appeal sits twice a year with the first session held earlier this year on April 8-17, at the Supreme Court.

The session had dealt with 10 appeal cases presided over by a new appeal judge Hon. Sir Peter Blanchard of New Zealand who had joined Mr Justice Peter Salmon and Mr Justice Ken Handley, on the bench.