West Indian Court of Appeal

The West Indian Court of Appeal (WICA) was a court which served as the appellate court for the British colonies of British Guiana, Barbados, the Leeward and Windward Islands, and Trinidad and Tobago from 1919[1] until the creation of the Federal Supreme Court of the West Indies Federation in 1958.

History

West Indian Court of Appeal Act 1919
Act of Parliament
coat of arms
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn Act to provide for the establishment of a Court of Appeal for certain of His Majesty's Colonies in the West Indies.
Citation9 & 10 Geo. 5. c. 47
Dates
Royal assent15 August 1919
Other legislation
Repealed byWest Indies Act 1962
Status: Repealed

The West Indian Court of Appeal Bill got its second reading in July 1919, having been moved by the Undersecretary of State Lt. Col. Amery.[2] The Bill proposed that the Chief Justice of Trinidad would be the president of the court.[2] Governments could choose whether their appeals went to the West Indian Court of Appeal before the Privy Council.[2] The bill was read a third time in August 1919.[3]

The court was created by the West Indian Court of Appeal Act 1919 (9 & 10 Geo. 5. c. 47), an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Decisions of the court could be appealed, with leave, to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. The court came into operation in 1920.[4]

Operations

The president of the court was the Chief Justice of Trinidad and Tobago.[1] The associate members of the court were the Chief Justices of British Guiana, Barbados, and the Leeward and Windward Islands.[1]

The court was constituted by any 3 justices.[1] The need to assemble chief justices from the various territories. often led to delay.[4]

The Principal Registrar of the Trinidad and Tobago served as registrar for the court.[1]

Presidents

Assistant Justices

  • William Henry Irwin, 1951-54.[9]
  • Sir Donald Edward Jackson, Chief Justice of Windward and Leeward Islands and Member of the West Indian Court of Appeal, 1950-unk.[10]
  • James Stanley Rae, Chief Justice of Windward and Leeward Islands.[11][12]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Annual Report for the Colony of Trinidad and Tobago for the Year 1956. London: Colonial Office. 1957. p. 87 – via HathiTrust.
  2. 1 2 3 "West Indian Court of Appeal Bill". The Times. London. July 31, 1919. p. 17. Retrieved 24 March 2026 – via newspapers.com.
  3. ↑ "Bills Advanced". The Herald. Glasgow. August 12, 1919. pp. 7, 8. Retrieved 24 March 2026 – via newspapers.com.
  4. 1 2 Gammon, Kent (1996). "The Caribbean Court of Appeal: The Final Appellate Conflict". Student Law Review (11).
  5. ↑ "New Privy Councillor". Belfast Telegraph. p. 7. Retrieved 24 March 2026 – via newspapers.com.
  6. ↑ "Colonial Service: High Post for Australian". The Recorder. Port Pirie, South Australia. 3 November 1930. p. 4. Retrieved 24 March 2026.
  7. ↑ "London Letter". Irish Independent. July 24, 1948. p. 6. Retrieved 24 March 2026 – via newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ "The West Indies". Current notes on international affairs. 29 (5): 288. May 1958. Retrieved 2026-03-24 – via Trove Australia.
  9. ↑ "Ulsterman in Nigerian High Court Judge". Belfast Telegraph. p. 3. Retrieved 24 March 2026 – via newspapers.com.
  10. ↑ "British Guiana Inquiry". Warwick Daily News. Warwick, Queensland, Australia. 30 Apr 1954. p. 3. Retrieved 24 March 2026 – via Trove.
  11. ↑ "West Indies Judge Arrives". The Herald. Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. 1 Jul 1929. p. 5 – via Trove.
  12. ↑ "Trade Agreement Benefits". The Argus. Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. 2 Jul 1929. p. 8 – via Trove.
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