Not to be confused with the Caribbean Court of Justice. The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is a higher court for the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), including six independent states: Antigua and Barbuda, the Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and three British Overseas Territories (Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, and Montserrat). It has unlimited jurisdiction in each member State.
History
The ECSC was set up in 1967 by the West Indies Associated States Supreme Court Order No. 223 of 1967. In Grenada, the Court is called "the Supreme Court of Grenada and the West Indies Associated States". See section 105 of the Grenada Constitution.
Functions
The functions of the ECSC are as follows: To interpret and apply the laws of the various member states of the OECS; To decide cases of both civil and criminal matters; To hear appeals.
Composition
Location
The Headquarters of the ECSC is in the Heraldine Rock Building, Waterfront, Castries, Saint Lucia. The building houses the Justices of Appeal’s chambers, the Court of Appeal Registry, the Judicial Education Institute, Library, and the Administrative Services.
Also, there are Court Offices in the nine Member States, which house the chambers of the High Court Judges and the offices of the High Court Registry. Each High Court Registry is headed by a legally trained Registrar to give administrative and legal support for the working of the High Court.
Related pages
Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States
Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (JCPC) Caribbean Court of Justice