| |
The Trinidad and Tobago Judiciary
– 'then and now' Project.
List of Chief Justices - Trinidad and Tobago
Brief timeline of legal points of interest
- 1498 - Trinidad claimed for Spain by Christopher Columbus
- 1532 - Trinidad became a colony of Spain
- 1783 - "Libro Becerro de Poblacion"/The Royal Cedula of Population -influx of French Catholic planters from neighbouring islands.
- 1797 - The British, led by Sir Ralph Abercromby, who were at war with Spain and France , captured Trinidad in February, 1797. Sir Thomas Picton becomes the first Governor
- 1802 - Treaty of Amiens, by which Spain officially ceded the island of Trinidad.
- 1807 - Abolition of Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade.
- 1814 - Tobago permanently acquired by the British in 1814 -by Treaty of Paris.
- 1822 - Order in Council of 16 th September, 1822, establishing the Court of first instance of Civil Jurisdiction and the Rules for the court of first instance of Civil Jurisdiction of 28th February, 1823 [Trinidad. Laws of Trinidad , 1831-1848; the Orders in Council and Ordinances of the Council of Government. Compiled by the Commissioners appointed in the Colony. London : James Bain.]
- 1831 - Order in Council of 20th June, 1831 -provides "that the first or presiding judge of the said court shall be called and bear the style and title of Chief Justice of Trinidad"
[Laws of Trinidad , 1831-1848, supra]
- 1844 - Trial by jury introduced. Ordinance No. 11 of 1844 -An Ordinance to introduce Trial by Jury, and to make other provisions for assimilating the Laws of this Colony relating to Criminal Offences to the Law of England in like cases [came into operation from 10th October, 1844] [Section 18]
- 1848 - Ordinance No. 4 of 1848 -An ordinance to provide for the better administration of Justice in civil cases, and to extend and define the jurisdiction and powers of the Supreme Civil Court [passed 1 st March, 1848]
- 1848 - Ordinance No. 9 of 1848 -an ordinance to regulate the mode of proceedings in Criminal cases
- 1892 - Judicial Inquiry Commission. A commission issued under the Trinidad and Tobago Ordinance No. 2 of 1892. Enquiry into charges against the senior puisne judge and the Administration of Justice in the colony
- 1914 - Judicature [Amendment] Ordinance, 1914 [No. 23 of 1914] -s.2 - common law doctrines of equity, statute law deemed to be laws of Trinidad since 1st March, 1848 provision re-enacted in the Supreme Court of Judicature Act, 1962 , now Chap.4:01, s.12]
- 1956 - Internal self-government
- 1958 - Inauguration of the Federation of the West Indies
- 1962 - Federation of the West Indies dissolved
List of Chief Justices - Trinidad and Tobago
Return to Home Page
|
|
