The Constitution provides that every person accused of a crime must receive a fair, speedy, and public trial, and these requirements are generally observed. The judiciary is highly regarded and independent. The court system is comprised of one high court and four magistrate's courts at the local level, with the right of appeal to the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States Court of Appeal. Final appeal may be made to the Privy Council in the United Kingdom. There are no military or political courts.
Legal assistance is available for indigent defendants.
There were no reports of political prisoners. There were no reports of arbitrary government or police interference in the private lives of individuals. The law requires judicially issued warrants to search private homes. The Constitution provides for freedom of speech and the press, and, for the most part, the authorities respected these provisions in practice. However, the Government owns the only radio and television station on St. Kitts, and these media generally did not adequately publicize rallies and conventions held by the opposition political party.