The courts that handle Couva matters
- Couva Magistrates' Court — summary criminal matters, minor civil claims, traffic, and preliminary inquiries.
- High Court at San Fernando or Port of Spain — significant civil claims, contested probate, judicial review, and serious matters.
- Family Court (San Fernando or Port of Spain) — divorce, custody, access, maintenance, and matrimonial-property applications under the Matrimonial Proceedings and Property Act, Chapter 45:51.
- Industrial Court of Trinidad and Tobago — workplace disputes under the Industrial Relations Act, Chapter 88:01. Sits in Port of Spain but accepts filings from central complainants.
- Probate Registry — applications for grant of probate or letters of administration through the Supreme Court of Judicature.
Matters that come up disproportionately in Couva
Pt Lisas industrial-estate employment
The Pt Lisas industrial estate concentrates a large share of central Trinidad's industrial-relations workload. Common instructions include dismissal disputes under the Industrial Relations Act, Chapter 88:01, retrenchment and severance under the Retrenchment and Severance Benefits Act, Chapter 88:13, severance calculations following plant downsizing, and contractor-rotation matters across the petrochemical, methanol, ammonia, and steel facilities.
Residential conveyancing in central Trinidad
Central Trinidad has had sustained residential growth, and Couva and the surrounding Couva-Tabaquite-Talparo corporation see a high volume of conveyancing instructions — purchase agreements, title searches, mortgage documentation, and resolution of historical title gaps where land has passed through generations.
Family law and probate
Divorce, custody, maintenance, and matrimonial-property division are routed through the Family Court. The firm also handles probate and letters-of-administration applications.
Workplace and industrial injury
Industrial-estate work generates personal-injury instructions — burns, falls, equipment injuries, and exposure-related claims. Limitation periods apply, so early advice on whether a matter is viable is more useful than waiting.
Practical access — how Couva clients work with the firm
The firm's primary office is at 43 Dundonald Street, Port of Spain — approximately 40 minutes from Couva via the Uriah Butler / Solomon Hochoy Highway. Most Couva clients never make that trip: consultations are handled by phone, Zoom, or WhatsApp video; court appearances at the Couva Magistrates' Court (and elsewhere) are handled by the firm's attorneys on the client's behalf.
Why instruct Martin George & Company
The firm has advised clients across Trinidad and Tobago since 1992. Martin George, Senior Partner and Lead Counsel, has more than 30 years of practice in the courts of Trinidad and Tobago, served as a Commissioner on the Law Reform Commission, and sat on the Prime Minister's Constitutional Committee for Internal Self-Government for Tobago. The firm is a member of the International Society of Primerus Law Firms and is a Lawzana-verified practice. A Couva matter that crosses several practice areas — a workplace injury that becomes a severance dispute, for example — can be handled inside one firm rather than passed between counsel.
Frequently asked questions
I was retrenched after a Pt Lisas reorganisation — what should I do?
Get the documentation: termination letter, severance calculation, contract, and any communications around the reason for termination. Severance under the Retrenchment and Severance Benefits Act follows a statutory formula; disputes about whether it was applied correctly are heard at the Industrial Court. Limitation periods apply.
I was injured at a Pt Lisas plant — what should I do first?
Get medical attention and keep all records. Report the incident to your employer in writing and obtain a copy of any incident report. Then seek legal advice promptly: limitation periods apply, and early evidence-gathering shapes outcomes.
How long does it take to drive from Couva to your Port of Spain office?
Approximately 40 minutes via the Uriah Butler / Solomon Hochoy Highway under normal traffic.
How do I book a consultation?
Call +1 (868) 624-4529, message the firm on WhatsApp at (868) 780-2804, or book online at martingeorge.net/book-consultation.