The chief justice of the Supreme Court of Gibraltar is one of the four judges who make up the supreme court of Gibraltar. Previously the chief justice was appointed by the Governor of Gibraltar on the advice of the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Under the 2006 Constitution the Governor, on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission, makes the appointment on behalf of the Monarch.
As a judge of the Supreme Court, the chief justice is responsible for hearing civil and criminal proceedings, including Family Jurisdiction, Court of Protection, Admiralty Jurisdiction and Ordinary (Chancery) Jurisdiction, as well as appeals from the Magistrates' Court.
History Notable chief justices include Sir James Cochrane who held the post for over thirty years during the nineteenth century. Notable cases include the resolution of the strange case of the Mary Celeste, a ship found abandoned at sea in 1872.
On 17 September 2007, the Governor announced the suspension of The Hon. Chief Justice Derek Schofield on full pay pending the investigation and resolution of the ongoing conflict between him, Chief Minister Peter Caruana and leading members of the Gibraltar Bar Association stemming from the judicial reforms introduced through Gibraltar's new constitution and the Judicial Services Act. During Schofield's suspension, Additional Judge Anthony Dudley was acting Chief Justice.Governor Suspends Schofield from Chief Justice Functions
On 1 February 2010, The Convent announced that acting on the advice of the Judicial Services Commission, Governor Sir Adrian Johns had on behalf of Queen Elizabeth, formally appointed Anthony Dudley as Chief Justice of Gibraltar. He is the first Gibraltarian judge to be appointed Chief Justice of Gibraltar.Gibraltar Chronicle - First Gibraltarian Chief Justice Appointed
List of chief justices IncumbentPortraitTenureNotesTook officeLeft office Robert Robinsonc.1740 W. Foye Parliamentary Papers, House of Commons and Command, Volume 311817 Judge of Court of Civil Pleas Thomas Jones Howell Alumni Cantabrigienses: A Biographical List of All Known Students ..., Volume 21822 Judge Advocate Barron Field 18291841 Sir James Cochrane 18411877 William Henry Doyle18771879 George Phillippo18791882 Sir Henry James Burford-Hancock18821895 Sir Stephen Herbert Gatty18951905 Sir Henry Rawlins Pipon Schooles19051913 Sir Bartle Henry Temple Frere19141922Sir Daniel Thomas Tudor 19221926Returned to England in 1926 after suffering a stroke.Sir Sidney Charles King Farlow Nettleton 19271931Sir Kenneth James Beatty19311940 Maurice Cherry Greene19411942 Sir Roger Bacon19461955 (Sir) Hubert James Marlowe Flaxman1955 (Sir) Edgar Unsworth1965>1974 Sir John Farley Spry19761980Sir Dermot Renn Davis19801986Alister Arthur Kneller19861995 Derek Schofield19962009 Suspended from duty during 2007–09. Replaced by Anthony Dudley as Acting Chief Justice.Anthony Dudley2010
See also Court system of Gibraltar
References
External links Organisation of Justice in Gibraltar Gibraltar's Constitution & Legal System