Chief Justice of Belize
Incumbent
Louise Blenman
since 2 September 2022
Supreme Court of Belize
Office of the Chief Justice
StyleThe Honourable Madam Chief Justice
StatusChief Justice, head of the Supreme Court of Belize
Member ofSupreme Court of Belize
SeatSupreme Court Building,
Belize City,
Belize,
Central America
NominatorPrime Minister
AppointerGovernor General
Term lengthNo set term, though retirement is mandatory at age 65.
Constituting instrumentConstitution of Belize
Inaugural holderRobert Temble
Formation1843
Websitewww.belizejudiciary.org

The chief justice of Belize is the head of the Supreme Court of Belize. Under Chapter 7 of the Constitution of Belize, the chief justice is appointed by the Governor-General on the advice of the prime minister.[1]

Since the retirement of Kenneth Benjamin in March 2020, Michelle Arana was the acting chief justice of Belize.[2] Louise Blenman was appointed to fill the vacancy in September 2022.[3]

List of chief justices

The full list as published by the attorney general of Belize:[4]

  1. Robert Temple Esq., 1843–1861

British Honduras (1862-1973)

  1. Richard J. Connor, 1862
  2. William Alexander Parker, 1875–1881
  3. Sir Henry Rawlins Pipon Schooles, 1881 (later Administrator of Grenada, 1887 and Attorney General of Jamaica, 1896)
  4. William Anthony Musgrave Sheriff, 1883–1886
  5. Sir William Meigh Goodman, 1886–1889
  6. Sir William John Anderson, 1890–1900 (afterwards Chief Justice of Trinidad and Tobago, 1900)
  7. Sir Walter Llewellyn Lewis, 1900–1906[5]
  8. Frederic Mackenzie Maxwell, 1906–1911 (afterwards Chief Justice of the Leeward Islands, 1912)
  9. Sir Walter Sidney Shaw, 1912–1914
  10. Sir Robert Blair Roden, 1915–1921
  11. Herbert Kortright McDonnell Sisnett, 1922–1931
  12. Charles Wilton Wood Greenidge, 1932–1936
  13. Sir Arthur Kirwan Agar, 1936–1940
  14. Sir Carleton George Langley, 1940–1947[6]
  15. Frederick Malcolm Boland, 1948–1949
  16. Sir Alfred Victor Crane, 1950–1954
  17. Erskine Rueul La Tourette Ward, 1955–1957
  18. Sir Clifford De Lisle Inniss, 1957–1972

Belize (1973–)

  1. Arthur Richard Franklin Dickson, 1973–1974
  2. Sir Denis Eustace Gilbert Malone, 1974–1979
  3. Albert L. Staine, CBE, 1979–1982
  4. George C. R. Moe, QC, 1982–1985
  5. Taufik Cotran, CBE, 1986–1990
  6. Sir George N. Brown, 1990–1998
  7. George Singh, 1998
  8. Manuel Sosa, CBE, SC, 1998–1999
  9. Dr. Abdulai Osman Conteh, 2000–2010[7]
  10. Kenneth Benjamin, 2011[8]-2020
  11. Louise Blenman, 2022[9]-Present

References

  1. ^ "Structure, composition, and jurisdiction". Government of Belize. Archived from the original on 2012-08-02. Retrieved 2012-04-19.
  2. ^ a b Parks, Rowland A. (21 March 2020). "Supreme Court Justice Michelle Arana will act as Chief Justice". Amandala. Retrieved 2020-09-19.
  3. ^ "New Chief Justice of Belize Louise Blenman sworn in". 2 September 2022.
  4. ^ "Chief Justices of Belize, 1843 to 2000". Attorney General of Belize. Archived from the original on 2012-02-04. Retrieved 2012-04-19.
  5. ^ "No. 27173". The London Gazette. 13 March 1900. p. 1709.
  6. ^ "No. 34847". The London Gazette. 10 May 1940. p. 2807.
  7. ^ Humes, Aaron (2010-01-10). "The end of an era: Chief Justice Dr. Abdulai Conteh retires". Amandala. Retrieved 2012-04-18.
  8. ^ Trapp, Adele (2011-07-29). "Guyanese jurist, Kenneth Benjamin, 56, to succeed Conteh". Amandala. Archived from the original on 2013-03-17. Retrieved 2012-04-18.
  9. ^ Humes, Aaron (2022-06-23). "Government identifies new Chief Justice of Belize".
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