| The Honourable Justice Sri Lankabhimanya Christopher Weeramantry |
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|---|---|
| Christopher Weeramantry in June 2007 | |
| Vice President of the International Court of Justice | |
| In office 1997–2000 |
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| Judge of the International Court of Justice | |
| In office 1991–2000 |
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| Justice of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka | |
| In office 1967–1972 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 17 November 1926 Colombo, Sri Lanka |
| Nationality | Sri Lankan |
| Alma mater | University of London, University of Ceylon, Royal College Colombo |
| Occupation | Judge |
| Profession | Barrister |
Justice Sri Lankabhimanya Christopher Gregory Weeramantry, AM (born 17 November 1926) was a Sri Lankan Judge and lawyer. He was the a former Judge of the International Court of Justice(ICJ) from 1991 to 2000, serving as Vice-President of the ICJ from 1997 to 2000. Justice Weeramantry was a Judge of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka from 1967 to 1972.[1] He is currently an Emeritus Professor at Monash University.
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Born 17 November 1926 in Colombo, Ceylon, he was educated at the prestigious Royal College Colombo. Where he was a senior prefect, editor of the Royal College Magazine, Chairman Senior Literary Association and won many class and school prizes as well as the Governor’s Scholarship, Principal’s Prize and the Empire Essay Prize for 1943 awarded by the Royal Empire Society.
He gained a BA (Hons.) from the newly established University of Ceylon and went on to gain a LLB and a LLD from the University of London. After completing the law exams at the Colombo Law College, he took oaths as an Advocate of the Supreme Court of Ceylon in 1948.
Beginning his law practice in Colombo that went on till 1965. In 1965 he was appointed Commissioner of Assize, holding the post until 1967 when he was called to the bench as a Judge of the Supreme Court of Ceylon. He retired from the Supreme Court in 1972 and moved to Australia where he became a Barrister, carrying out a consultancy practice for 18 years till 1990 in Victoria.
In 1991, he was appointed as a Judge of the International Court of Justice in The Hague, becoming its Vice President in 1997. He presided in his capacity as Vice-President of the ICJ over several important cases before the Court, including a case on the illegality of the use and threatened use of nuclear weapons.[2] From 2000 to 2002 he served the ICJ as an Ad hoc Judge.
Judge Weeramantry serves on the Legal and Human Rights Advisory Board of the Genetics Policy Institute and the President of the International Association of Lawyers Against Nuclear Arms.[3] In addition C.G. Weeramantry is a councillor of the World Future Council, and the Honorary Patron of the Centre for International Sustainable Development Law (CISDL).
He is currently Emeritus Professor at Monash University, having previously served as Sir Hayden Starke's Chair of Law from 1972 to 1991.[4] A former Lecturer and Examiner at the Colombo Law College, he was a Member of the Council of Legal Education in Ceylon. Judge Weeramantry has also served as a visiting Professor at Harvard University (2000), University of Hong Kong (1989), University of Florida (1984), University of Colombo (1981), University of Papua New Guinea (1981), University of Stellenbosch (1979) and University of Tokyo (1978). He is a honorary Member of Advisory Committee of Environmental Law Institute and Chairman of the International Council, Institute of Sustainable Development, McGill University.
Judge Weeramantry is a recipient of the following honours and awards:
He has received several honorary degrees;[10]
Judge Weeramantry has authored the following books: