Introduction | List of Chief Justices of Trinidad and Tobago

Brief timeline of legal points of interest

• 1498 –Trinidad became a colony of Spain until 1797

• 1783 – “Libro Becerro de Poblacion”/The Royal Cedula of Population –influx of French Catholic planters from neighbouring islands.

• 1797 –The British, led by Sir Ralph Abercromby, who were at war with Spain and France , captured Trinidad in February, 1797

• 1802 – Treaty of Amiens, by which Spain officially ceded the island of Trinidad .

• 1807-abolition of Slave Trade.

• 1814- Tobago permanently acquired by the British in 1814 –by Treaty of Paris.

1822 –Order in Council of 16 th September, 1822, establishing the Court of first instance of Civil Jurisdiction and the Rules for the court of first instance of Civil Jurisdiction of 28 th February, 1823 [Trinidad. Laws of Trinidad , 1831-1848; the Orders in Council and Ordinances of the Council of Government. Compiled by the Commissioners appointed in the Colony. London : James Bain.]

• 1831-Order in Council of 20 th June, 1831 –provides “that the first or presiding judge of the said court shall be called and bear the style and title of Chief Justice of Trinidad”
  
• [Laws of Trinidad , 1831-1848, supra]

• 1848- Ordinance No. 4 of 1848 –An ordinance to provide for the better administration of Justice in civil cases, and to extend and define the jurisdiction and powers of the Supreme Civil Court [passed 1 st March, 1848] [s.3. –Law of Spain, Repeal of as to actions etc.]

• 1848- Ordinance No. 9 of 1848 –an ordinance to regulate the mode of proceedings in Criminal cases

• 1888- Royal Order in Council; uniting the colonies of Trinidad and Tobago , 17 th November, 1888

• 1889- Royal Order in Council constituting Tobago a ward of Trinidad , 20 th October, 1889

• 1892- Judicial Inquiry Commission. A commission issued under the Trinidad and Tobago Ordinance No. 2 of 1892. Enquiry into charges against the senior puisne judge and the Administration of Justice in the colony

• 1914 Judicature [Amendment] Ordinance, 1914 [No. 23 of 1914] –s.2 - common law doctrines of equity, statute law deemed to be laws of Trinidad since 1st March, 1848 provision re-enacted in the Supreme Court of Judicature Act, 1962 , now Chap.4:01, s.12]

• 1956- internal self-government

• 1962-Trinidad and Tobago became Independent on 31 st August, 1962 [Trinidad and Tobago . Trinidad and Tobago Independence Act, 1962 (10 & 11 Eliz. 2 c.54)]

• 1976-Trinidad and Tobago became a Republic on 1 st August, 1976 [Trinidad and Tobago . Trinidad and Tobago Republic Act, 1976 (11 & 12 Eliz. 2 c.54)

Introduction | List of Chief Justices of Trinidad and Tobago