Judges in Bermuda continue to refresh their skills by attending international and local conferences, MPs were told.

In the past year, there were four international conferences attended by members of the judiciary, according to Junior Justice Minister Michael Scott who told the House of Assembly on Friday during the Budget debate that the ministry is also committed to delivering training for its staff.

The Caribbean Association of Judicial Officers was held in Trinidad and attended by Puisne Judge Norma Wade-Miller, Puisne Judge Charles-Etta Simmons, Puisne Judge Carlisle Greaves, Registrar Charlene Scott, Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner and Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo.

Themes of the conference included efficiency and fairness in adjudications, judicial independence and accountability, justice beyond our borders and court and administration technology.

Puisne Judge Ian Kawaley served as a panellist on the INSOL International 8th Quadrennial Conference where 70 judges from Africa, the Americas, Asia, Australia and Europe attended and discussed a case study on a hypothetical cross border insolvency, the Minister said.

Mrs. Wade-Miller, Mr. Kawaley, Magistrate Juan Wolfe and Magistrate Tyrone Chin attended the Commonwealth Magistrates and Judges Association 15th Triennial Conference.

Mr. Scott said Mrs. Wade-Miller was nominated and elected as the future President of the association which is the only body dedicated to "fostering the professional development of Commonwealth judges and magistrates".

The registrar and IT manager of the Supreme Court attended a court technology conference in Denver, Colorado, to see new developments in court technology.

On-island conferences included the Judicial Training Institute and the Department of Public Prosecution's conference on cyber crime.

Mr. Scott also spoke about training employees are undergoing, adding: "Three members of Supreme Court staff are studying and another member from Magistrates' Court has graduated from the Institute of Legal Executives (ILEX) course at Bermuda College.

"This is a part time course leading to a designated qualification, a certificate in legal studies, recognised throughout commonwealth jurisdictions.

"This brings the total of seven staff members who have qualifies from this programme."