ATTORNEYS are complaining that they are being charged in US dollars when using their credit cards to pay annual subscription fees and contributions to the compensation fund via the Judiciary’s Court Pay system.
In an advisory to its members on Tuesday, the Law Association said it was notified of the issue by some members.
“It would appear that when members use a credit card to facilitate payment of fees, these fees are charged in US dollars.” The association said it was uncertain if the US dollar charge was equivalent to the TT value of the payment.
“Further, it would mean the monthly US limit of the member at their bank would be affected based on these payments,” the advisory said.
Last week, a commercial bank advised customers it was cutting in half the maximum US dollar spending limit per billing cycle on credit cards. The US dollar credit card limit was reduced from US$10,000 to US$5,000, per cycle.
The association said the issue was raised with the Judiciary in July at a bench-bar meeting.
It also said the council wrote to the Registrar of the Supreme Court as a follow-up for an assurance that the registry was not accepting fees or payments in US dollars.
“In the interim, and while we await a response from the Judiciary on this matter, it is suggested that members refrain from using their credit cards to make payments while this issue is being resolved.”
VOUCHERS OR PAY OVER THE COUNTER
Attorneys were advised to use the voucher payment system or go to the accounts department at the Judiciary to transact over-the-counter payments for annual subscription fees and contributions to the fund.
On Tuesday, the Judiciary was asked to clarify whether attorneys were being charged in US dollars when using their credit cards on the Court Pay system and if, as some attorneys said, payments were being routed out of TT.
There was no response to Newsday’s questions up to press time on Thursday.
Subscription fees and contributions to the fund varies from $7,200 total for a senior counsel to $700 total for an attorney with less than four years call.
Under the Legal Profession Act, the Registrar is obligated to receive all annual subscription fees and contributions to the compensation fund. The act says annual subscription fees cover a 12-month period starting October 1, each year.
Court Pay was launched in September 2019.
In response to concerns about the new electronic payment system, the Judiciary said it owned the CourtPay software. It also said it contracted with WiPay (Trinidad and Tobago) and Republic Bank after a full tendering process.
“The contracts with WiPay are to develop the CourtPay software and to provide an end-to-end software solution which they are obliged to maintain as part of our contract.”
A 2019 statement said the act did not set out the mode by which payments were to be collected and this process “has always been within the Registrar’s purview.”
“While the Registrar has always maintained a collaborative approach with LATT, there is no requirement for the consent of L
