Justice: Theft, Drunk Driving, and Violence in the Courtroom

On Thursday, April 30, the “La Capricieuse” courtroom at the Gustavia Harbor Master’s Office is hosting a hearing of the local magistrate’s court. A court clerk, the public prosecutor, and the presiding judge face a courtroom filled with those summoned to appear, defendants, victims, and attorneys. The presiding judge opens the hearing by calling the roll. Within minutes, the docket (the document listing all cases) is cleared. Between absences, requests for postponement to a later date made by the attorneys, and delays due to procedural issues, the number of cases to be addressed has decreased significantly.

A Closed Case
Sitting at the back of the room, a young man speaks up. His name has not been called. He explains that he lost his summons. He therefore went to the police station to inquire and was given the hearing date. But his name does not appear on the docket. The prosecutor taps away at her computer and eventually finds the case file regarding a lack of a driver’s license during a traffic stop. But the case in question has been dismissed. “Since there were too many backlogged cases, the district attorney decided to dismiss your case,” the representative of the public prosecutor’s office explains to the young man. “So I just have to pay the fine?” asks the “defendant.” The presiding judge confirms this and tells him he may leave the courtroom. “Have a good day and good luck,” says the young man as he leaves.

Aminor scooter theft among friends
The first case is called. An island resident steps to the stand. He has just turned nineteen. He is charged with aiding and abetting the theft of a scooter committed on May 17, 2025. On that date, it is around 1:00 a.m. when a woman returns home from work in the Anse des Lézards neighborhood. She parked her scooter and went to bed. When she went out at 8 a.m. to go to work, her scooter was gone. She filed a complaint with the gendarmerie. The investigation conducted by the police quickly led them to identify and apprehend the two perpetrators of the theft, who were a minor and the defendant. During his questioning, the defendant admitted to the facts. On the stand, he explained that he had agreed to “do a favor” for his younger friend. “Without asking him what that favor entailed?” the presiding judge asked in surprise, continuing: “Are you easily influenced? Especially since he is younger than you.” ” The young man did not respond. He has no prior criminal record; he has a job and a place to live. The victim, who was present, explained that her vehicle had been found but was damaged. She demanded reimbursement for the repairs. “I was left stranded,” she complained. “And then there was a year of legal proceedings, and I still haven’t been reimbursed. He must be punished. ” The prosecutor agrees, describing the facts as “particularly unpleasant.” The presiding judge follows the prosecution’s recommendations and imposes a fine of 500 euros (“A lenient measure,” she notes), along with reimbursement for the scooter repairs (828 euros) and a fine of 200 euros for emotional distress.

2.42 grams of alcohol
On December 16, 2023, in Grand Fond, the following defendant was involved in a traffic accident between a scooter—which he was riding with 2.42 grams of alcohol per liter of blood—and a car. He is present at the hearing because he contested the summary judgment that had previously been issued in his absence. He had been fined 300 euros, had his driver’s license suspended, and was required to complete a traffic safety course. In 2021, he had already been convicted of driving under the influence. In 2024, he was convicted again, this time for driving without a license and without insurance. The court upheld his original sentence, including a six-month suspension of his license.

In the heat of Carnival
During Carnival season, the Mardi Gras parade is always marked by excesses of all kinds—whether it be joy, sharing, or even drinking and extravagance. It is also, at times, the scene of some disturbances that can escalate into acts of violence. As was the case on March 4, 2025. As the procession made its way through Gustavia, an altercation involving several people escalated into a confrontation between two men. In court, a 39-year-old resident of Saint Barth was charged with these acts of violence. His opponent, who became his victim in this case, was not present. The explanations are rather confusing. As are the testimonies. Words exchanged with a carnival-goer, a slap, blows traded, a crowd gathering, police intervening, two men wrestling on the ground—the scene seems quite chaotic. One thing is certain, however: the man who confronted the defendant filed a complaint four days after the incident and presented a medical certificate documenting a thigh wound closed with 23 stitches. Before the judge, the defendant denies having struck the carnival worker or having struck the victim with a piece of broken glass. “Perhaps he injured himself when he fell?” he suggested, adding: “I didn’t insult or hit anyone. I was wrongfully struck; I was humiliated.” ” The prosecutor relied on the witness statements and the victim’s medical report. Like the presiding judge, she was unconvinced by the defense attorney’s argument, which focused in particular on the fact that “the photos of the injured leg are not dated.” The defendant was sentenced to two months’ suspended imprisonment and barred from possessing or carrying a weapon.