Magistrate moves up, new appeal judge joins panel

(CNS): Chief Magistrate Nova Hall has been sworn in as an Acting Judge of the Grand Court and is sitting in the higher court throughout this week and as the need arises. Officials from the courts said that the Grand Court is exceptionally busy dealing with a large number of criminal and civil cases, necessitating the need for more hands on deck. Meanwhile, Sir Richard Ground will be sitting in the Court of Appeal for the next three weeks for the first time since his appointment last year. Sir Richard a former Cayman attorney general was sworn in by the Acting Governor, Franz Manderson, onMonday. 

Welcoming him back to the Cayman Islands, the President of the Court of Appeal, Sir John Chadwick said: “I am delighted that Sir Richard has joined the Court of Appeal. He will bring expertise and experience to the Court and, I have no doubt, will make a most valuable contribution to its work.”

Ground was a Crown Counsel in Cayman between 1983 and 1987 before he became attorney general he was appointed to the Supreme Court of Bermuda in 1992 and was Chief Justice for the Turks and Caicos Islands from 1998-2004 and for Bermuda from 2004-2012. He already sits as a Justice of Appeal in both Turks and Caicos and Bermuda.

Chief Justice, Anthony Smellie welcomed both appointments expressing his confidence that they will strengthen the abilities of the Grand Court and the Court of Appeal to manage their respective demanding and complex workloads.

Further details of both Justice Ground and Acting Judge Hall can be seen at www.judicial.ky