WILLEMSTAD – The Common Court of Justice received a total of 18 complaints in 2024 regarding the conduct of court staff or procedural issues, according to the Court’s latest annual report. Most of the complaints were deemed inadmissible because judicial decisions themselves cannot be contested through the complaint procedure. 

Of the total complaints, seven were submitted in Aruba—four of which came from a single individual. Two of those cases are still under review. In Curaçao, eight complaints were lodged, while Bonaire recorded two and Sint Maarten one. 

The majority of complaints related to the behavior of judges or administrative personnel, or to procedural decisions made during court processes. In one instance, a complaint led to the recognition that incorrect information had been provided. 

One complaint on Bonaire was both admissible and upheld. It involved inappropriate conduct by a clerk at the court registry. The Court has since issued a formal apology for the incident. 

To make the complaints procedure more accessible, the Court will translate it into Papiamentu and Papiamento in 2025. Additionally, certain internal processes have been revised to allow for faster handling of complaints. 

Recusal Requests 

In addition to the complaints, the Court also handled 15 recusal requests in 2024—formal motions to replace a judge due to perceived bias. Most of these requests were either denied or withdrawn. Only one request was granted. 

Recusal allows a party to a case to challenge the impartiality of a judge. Of the 15 requests, seven were filed in Aruba, five in Curaçao, and three in Sint Maarten. Some of these were submitted by the same individual. 

Ten of the requests were related to civil cases, three to administrative law, and two to criminal cases. The outcomes included four rejections, one approval, one inadmissibility ruling, and one declaration of unfounded claim. Two requests were withdrawn, and in one case the judge voluntarily stepped aside. 

Several recusal cases were still pending as of February 2025, when the annual report was finalized.