Appeal Judges join CI court

(CNS): Three new judges have been appointed by H.E the Governor Stuart Jack to the Cayman Islands Court of Appeal. The Right Hon. Sir John Chadwick, Dr The Hon. Abdulai Conteh and The Hon. Geoffrey Vos QC who the Governor said bring a wealth of commercial experience that will prove invaluable to the Cayman Islands.

Sir John Chadwick, formerly a Lord Justice of Appeal of England and Wales (1997-2007), will be President of the Cayman Islands Court of Appeal was formerly and appeal court Judge in Jersey and Guernsey (1986 – 1992). He was appointed a Judge of the High Court of England and Wales (Chancery Division) in 1991 and currently holds judicial office as a Lieutenant Bailiff of Guernsey and a Judge of the Court of the Dubai International Financial Centre. 

Dr. The Hon. Abdulai Conteh has been Chief Justice of Belize since 2000 and is trustee of the Caribbean Court of Justice. He has served as both Attorney General and Minister of Justice in his home country of Sierra Leone. 

The Hon. Geoffrey Vos QC, a leading member of the English is also a Judge of the Courts of Appeal of Jersey and Guernsey, sits as a Deputy High Court Judge in England and Wales and was Chairman of the Bar Council in 2007. 

The Governor expressed his gratitude for the commitment and hard work of the Rt. Hon. Edward Zacca and of the Hon. Justice Martin Taylor as President and Member of the Court of Appeal respectively. He said with Justices of Appeal Ian Forte and Elliott Mottley continuing, these three new appointments will bring the complement of the Court up to five. 

The formal swearing-in appointment of Sir John Chadwick and Dr. Hon. Abdulai Conteh will take place on 11December 2008, when they will visit the Islands for familiarization purposes; and that of Justice Vos, who will be sitting for the November to December session; will take place on the morning of 24 November 2008. The panel for the November to December session will therefore be Hon. Justice Ian Forte as acting President, along with Hon. Justices Elliott Mottley and Geoffrey Vos.