The Caribbean Court of Justice has been plunged into an unprecedented crisis following the publication of internal correspondence in which five of its six sitting judges reportedly challenged the leadership of CCJ President Justice Winston Anderson.

The allegations extend far beyond disagreements over administrative style. According to an investigative report published by the Sunday Express, judges raised concerns about authoritarian leadership, “panel fixing” and attempts to influence the outcome of cases before the region’s highest court.

The disclosures strike at the foundation of judicial independence and are likely to trigger demands across the Caribbean for an independent investigation into how CCJ panels are selected, how judgments are deliberated and whether adequate safeguards exist to prevent any president of the court from exerting improper influence over fellow judges.