Chief Justice of the Bahamas

The Chief Justice of the Bahamas heads the Supreme Court of the Bahamas.

Legal basis

The position of Chief Justice is authorised by Article 93(2) of the Constitution of the Bahamas. Under Article 94(1), the Governor-General appoints the Chief Justice on the recommendation of the Prime Minister after consultation with the Leader of the Opposition. Removal of the Chief Justice is governed by Article 96(6); the Prime Minister recommends removal to the Governor-General, who then forms a tribunal of at least three members selected by the Governor-General in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister. Under Article 98(2), the Chief Justice may be invited to sit on the Court of Appeal by the President of that Court.^[1]

List of Chief Justices

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

• Sir Newnham Arthur Worley, KT, BACH, KBE, 1958 to 9-August 1960
• Sir Ralph Campbell, 10 August 1960 to 31 May 1970^[2]
• William Gordon Bryce, C.B.E., Q.C., 1 June 1970 to 30 June 1973^[2]
• Sir Leonard J. Knowles, 4 July 1973 to 6 August 1978^[2]
• James D. Smith, 7 July 1978 to 11 May 1980^[2]
• Harvey Lloyd da Costa, 18 November 1980 to 31 December 1981^[2]
• Vivian O. Blake, 1 January 1982 to 9 September 1983^[2]
• Sir Denis Eustace Gilbert Malone (acting), 10 September to 31 December 1983^[2]
• Rt. Hon. Mr. Philip Telford Georges, 1 January 1984 to 30 September 1989^[2]
• Sir Joaquim Gonsalves Sabola, 1 October 1989 to 31 December 1995^[2]
• Sir Cyril S. S. Fountain, 1 January 1995 to 30 October 1996^[2]
• Dame Joan A. Sawyer, DBE, 1 November 1996 to 26 November 2001^[2]
• Sir Burton P. C. Hall, KSS, KHS, 2001 to 2009^[3]
• Hon. Mr. Michael L. Barnett, 24 August 2009 to 31 January 2015 ^[4]
• Hon. Mr. Hartman Longley, 2 February 2015 to present ^[5]

References