The courts that handle Point Fortin matters
- Local Magistrates' Court — summary criminal matters, minor civil claims, traffic, and preliminary inquiries. The firm confirms the right court at the first consultation, depending on the address.
- High Court at San Fernando — significant civil claims, contested probate, judicial review, and serious matters. Most south-west Trinidad matters route through San Fernando.
- 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 and the Children Act 2012.
- Industrial Court of Trinidad and Tobago — workplace disputes and matters under the Industrial Relations Act, Chapter 88:01. Sits in Port of Spain but accepts filings from southern complainants.
- Probate Registry — applications for grant of probate or letters of administration filed through the Supreme Court of Judicature.
Matters that come up disproportionately in Point Fortin
Energy-sector employment, dismissal, and severance
Point Fortin's labour market is concentrated in the energy sector — Atlantic LNG, refinery and port operations, and a network of contractors and service companies. Common instructions include dismissal disputes under the Industrial Relations Act, Chapter 88:01, retrenchment under the Retrenchment and Severance Benefits Act, Chapter 88:13, severance calculations following operational changes, and matters arising from contractor rotations and end-of-project terminations.
Workplace and industrial injury
Refinery, port, and construction work generates a steady volume of 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 for the medical picture to fully settle.
Land and title in south-west Trinidad
South-western land — including in and around Point Fortin, La Brea, and Cap-de-Ville — often has multi-generational title histories. Common instructions include intestate-succession proceedings, adverse-possession claims under the Real Property Limitation Act, Chapter 56:03, and conveyancing for ordinary purchases that surface unexpected title gaps.
Family law
Divorce, custody, maintenance, and matrimonial-property division are routed through the Family Court. Matrimonial-property division is governed by the court's broad discretion under the Matrimonial Proceedings and Property Act — there is no automatic 50/50 split.
Practical access — how Point Fortin clients work with the firm
The firm's primary office is at 43 Dundonald Street, Port of Spain — approximately 1 hour 45 minutes from Point Fortin via the Solomon Hochoy and Point Fortin Highway under normal traffic. Most Point Fortin clients never make that trip:
- First consultation — by phone, Zoom, WhatsApp video, or Google Meet.
- Court appearances — handled by the firm's attorneys at the local Magistrates' Court, the High Court at San Fernando, the Family Court, and the Industrial Court on the client's behalf.
- Document signing — most documents can be signed remotely; where notarisation is required, the firm coordinates the most efficient option.
- In-person meetings — available at the Port of Spain office for clients who prefer face-to-face contact.
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 Point Fortin 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 an Atlantic LNG / contractor reorganisation — what should I do?
Get the documentation: termination letter, severance calculation, letter of offer, contract, and any communications around the reason for termination. Severance under the Retrenchment and Severance Benefits Act follows a statutory formula; disputes about whether the formula was applied correctly, or about the underlying basis for the termination, are heard at the Industrial Court. Limitation periods apply.
I was injured at a refinery / port site — 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 often shapes the outcome of the claim more than later medical developments.
How long does it take to drive from Point Fortin to your Port of Spain office?
Approximately 1 hour 45 minutes via the Solomon Hochoy and Point Fortin Highway under normal traffic. Most matters do not require the trip; consultations are conducted virtually as standard.
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.