On September 29, the Court of Justice of Suriname welcomed 15 newly trained judges in a formal swearing-in ceremony led by President Jennifer Simons, marking one of the largest single expansions of the country’s judicial bench in recent history. Court President Iwan Rasoelbaks described the addition as a landmark step to strengthen the nation’s judiciary, bringing the total number of sitting judges at the court to 45. The new appointees will be formally installed as substitute members on October 23, and will begin handling civil and criminal cases from the courtroom bench as scheduled starting in the new judicial term that opens on October 1.