About the Royal Court

The Royal Court is the principal and oldest court in Jersey and handles both criminal and civil matters. 

The president of the Royal Court is the Bailiff. 

Trials may be heard before the Bailiff, the Deputy Bailiff, or a commissioner.

Commissioners are part-time judges, appointed from the ranks of judges or senior experienced lawyers from the Channel Islands, United Kingdom or Isle of Man. Commissioners may be appointed for fixed periods or for the purposes of hearing a specific case. 

Preliminary matters in civil cases may also be dealt with by the master.

The role of clerk of the court is undertaken by the Judicial Greffier.

Jurats

As well as the judge, the Royal Court includes the jurats - a role similar to a Justice of the Peace in a UK court. Jurats are unpaid lay people who have been elected by an electoral college which is presided over by the bailiff. They hold the role until the age of 72. 

The jurats decide issues of fact in criminal and civil trials, hand down sentences in criminal trials and award damages in civil trials. 

Civil matters

Civil matters are dealt with by one of the divisions of the Royal Court. Cases concerning land and immovable property are dealt with by the Heritage division.

Matters concerning divorce, adoption, civil partnerships and the care of children are dealt with by the Family Division.

Matters concerning wills and inheritance are dealt with by the Probate division.

Other civil cases coming before the Royal Court are dealt with by the Samedi division.

The name comes from the French word for Saturday when the court used to sit. The court now sits on Fridays.

When dealing with civil cases, the Royal Court usually sits as the Inferior Number.

Superior Number and Inferior Number

The Royal Court can sit as either the Superior Number or the Inferior Number.

The Superior Number consists of the Bailiff, the Deputy Bailiff or a Royal Court commissioner and a minimum of five jurats.

The Inferior Number consists of the Bailiff, Deputy Bailiff or a Royal Court commissioner sitting with two jurats.

The Inferior Number is restricted in the penalties it can impose such as a maximum of 2 years in prison. A defendant may be found guilty of a serious crime by the Inferior Number but must go to the Superior Number if a sentence of more than four years is to be imposed.

Assize Trials

Serious cases of criminal offences are heard by the Criminal Assize. This is a full court sitting with a jury made up of 12 people. The jury can return a majority verdict but in order to convict a defendant, a minimum of 10 votes of guilty are needed.

Appeals

Appeals against judgments made by the Inferior Number are usually heard by the Superior Number.

Appeals against judgments made by the Superior Number are heard by the Jersey Court of Appeal.

Any further appeal against a decision of the Jersey Court of Appeal is heard by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council which is in London. It is the highest Court of Appeal for Jersey.

Privy Council Appeal cases are heard in London.