SUPREME COURT AND MASTER/REGISTRAR AND SHERIFF OF THE HIGH COURT DEPARTMENT

DEPARTMENTAL MISSION STATEMENT

To deliver justice as expeditiously as possible to all people falling within the Court's jurisdiction without fear, favour or discrimination.

The Supreme Court undertakes to:-

• Answer telephones within three rings.
• Attend to members of the public within a minute.
• Respond to letters within two working days.
• Set down urgent matters as they come in.
• Set down criminal appeals as soon as the record comes in.
• Set down civil matters within four months.
• Tax bills of costs within 10 working days.

High Court

Has three reception areas namely the Civil Registry, Criminal Registry and Sheriff's Office and they all share one switchboard in the Master's Office.

The Civil Office Section undertakes to:-

• Issue documents within a minute of presentation.
• Attend public queries within three minutes.
• File documents within five working days..
• Photocopy documents within three working days.
• Retrieve files from strongrooms and archives within three working days.
• Set down - urgent applications within a day;
• opposed applications within 10 working days;
• pretrial conferences within five working days;

The Criminal Office Section undertakes to:-

• Set down bail applications within 48 hours.
• Set down appeals within five working clays.
• Set down sentences within five working days.
• Pay witnesses on last day of trial.
• Attend to members of the public within one minute.
• Respond to letters within two working days.
• Process pro-deo payment vouchers within five working days.
• Process assessors payment vouchers within five working days.

The Sheriff's Office undertakes to :-

• Attend to the public within two minutes.
• Set clown sales within one month.
• Confirm sales within 10 days of sale.
• Conclude distribution within six months.
• Attend to correspondence within 10 working days.

The Bulawayo High Court undertakes to :-

• Attend to the public within two minute's.
• Retrieve files from filing rooms within two hours.
• Respond to letters within five working days.
• Set down civil trials within one month.
• Set down urgent applications within one day.
• Set down opposed applications within five working clays.

MASTER OF THE HIGH COURT DIVISION

The Division undertakes to administer the following Acts:

(a) Administration of Estates Act [Chapter 6:01}

(b) Deceased Estates Succession Act [Chapter 6:02]

(c) Deceased Persons Family Maintenance Act {Chapter 6:03[

(d) Insolvency Act [Chapter 6:04}

(e) Tacit Hypothec Amendment Act [Chapter 6:05}

(f) Wills Act | Chapter 6:06}

(g) Estate Duty Act [ Chapter 23:03}

(h) Companies Act [Chapter 24:03}

The Division undertakes to:-

1. Answer the telephone within four rings.
2. Attend to the enquiring public within a maximum time of three minutes.
3. Attend to correspondence within a maximum period of five working days.
4. Issue Letters of Administration, Certificates of Authority, Certificates of Appointments within maximum period of five working days of receiving Master's requirements.
5. Audit accounts within seven working days of receipt but not more than 10 working days.
6. Process cheques for minors, widows and beneficiaries within eight hours of request but not more than 24 hours.

COURTS

Departmental Mission Statement

To preside over cases and administer the Courts in accordance with the Laws of Zimbabwe.

The Magistrates' Court

Presides over Criminal and Civil cases. Civil cases include Maintenance and Deceased Estates.

The Magistrates Courts undertake to:-

• Answer telephone calls within three rings.
• Serve members of the public within three minutes of arrival.
• Respond to letters within five working days.
• Receive complaints at Resident and Provincial Magistrate's Stations and the Chief Magistrate's office and investigate wilhin four weeks.

The Criminal Court undertakes to:-

• Preside from 0830 hrs to 1045 hrs; 1115 hrs to 1245 hrs and 1415 hrs to 1545 hrs in the Provincial Courts.
• Preside from 0900hrs to 1045hrs; 1115hrs to 1245hrs and I415 hrs to 1545 hrs in the Regional Courts;
• Refund Bail deposits as soon as a case is withdrawn before or alter plea,or the trial is completed;
• Release exhibits on completion of the trial;
• Pay witness expenses soon after the witness has finished giving his or her evidence;
• Deliver Judgements within three months.

The Civil Courts undertake to:

• Deliver Judgments within three months of the 1 completion ol the trial;
• Refund payments into court or pay it into the Guardian's hind within one month of the money spending 12 months in the Court's bank account;
• Pay out Judgment debts within a week if paid in < ash or within a month if paid into Court by cheque;
• Surrender Judgment debts into the Revenue Account if its not claimed within six months;
• Pay out to Recipients money surrendered to the Clerk of Court by the Messenger of Court within a month of it being received or as soon as the recipient is found;
• Pay into the Guardians Fund money surrendered by Messengers ol Court if it is not claimed within three months;
• Solemnize marriages within a month of the parties making a booking with the Clerk of Court;
• Finalise Small Claims Court proceedings within a month from the date the trial started.
• 5.3.1 The Maintenance Court undertakes to:
• Set down applications to a date within lour weeks ol an application being made;
• Preside over the application and deliver judgement within three months;
• Enforce orders from the date the first pay becomes due;
• Initiate prosecution of defaulters within two weeks ol the due elate for payments;
• Process maintenance money paid through the Court's bank account within a week if paid in cash or within lour weeks if paid by cheque;
• Process payments which have to go through the Computer Maintenance Payments Office (because hanks do not accept manual schedules) within two months of the payment being received by the Court;
• Arrange for payments to be made direct into the applicant/ Recipients account on specified dales;
• Initiate prosecution of delaulteis within two weeks of receiving a report from an applicant that no deposit was made into his or her account.

Customary Law Deceased Estates

Courts which process these Estates undertake to:-

Any queries or complaints relating to delivery of above services should be directed to the respective Provincial Magistrates in charge of the Province whose addresses

ADMINISTRATIVE COURT

Undertakes to:-