Supreme Court of Mauritius
Supreme Court of Mauritius | |
---|---|
Chief Justice | |
Currently | Rehana Bibi Mungly-Gulbul |
Since | 18 November 2021 |
The Supreme Court of Mauritius is the highest court of Mauritius and the final court of appeal in the Mauritian judicial system. It was established in its current form in 1850, replacing the Cour d'Appel established in 1808 during the French administration[1] and has a permanent seat in Port Louis. There is a right of appeal from the Supreme Court of Mauritius directly to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in London. The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (JCPC) is the court of final appeal for Mauritius.[2][3]
On 30 July 2020, a new building housing the Supreme Court was inaugurated jointly by Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth and India's premier Narendra Modi.
The chief justice is the head of the court and has precedence over any other judges in the republic. The chief justice is second in line (after the
History
The modern system of law in Mauritius is an amalgamation of French civil law and common law, while the civil and criminal proceedings are modelled based on British practice. Supreme Court is established as the highest court of justice and lower courts of namely, the Criminal Court of Procedure and the Civil Court of Procedure. The official language used in the Supreme Court is English.[6]
In 1507
Despite winning the
Composition
The Supreme Court has the Chief Justice, a Senior Puisne Judge and a number of Puisne Judges as prescribed by the Parliament of Mauritius. As of 2014, there were 17 Puisne judges. The Chief Justice is appointed by the President in consultation with the Prime Minister, the Senior Puisne Judge acting in accordance with the advice of Chief Justice and the Puisne Judges acting in accordance with the advice of the Judicial and Legal service Commission as listed in Section 77 of the Constitution. To qualify as a Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Mauritius, a person has to be a practicing barrister for at least five years, a barrister entitled to practise before the Supreme Court as listed in Section 77(4) of the Constitution. A judge of the Supreme Court holds office until the retirement age of 62. A judge may be impeached for inability to perform the functions of his office or for misbehaviour. He shall be removed from office by the President under the advice of removal referred by the Judicial Committee deputed.[13]
Jurisdiction
The Supreme Court has unlimited jurisdiction to hear and determine any civil or criminal proceedings under any law other than a disciplinary law and such jurisdiction and powers as may be conferred upon it by the Constitution or any other law. It is a superior court of record and the principal court of original civil and criminal jurisdictions. It exercises general powers of supervision over all District, Intermediate and Industrial Courts and other special courts.[14]
The Supreme Court is also a Court of Equity vested with powers, authority, and jurisdiction to administer justice and to do all acts for the due execution of such equitable jurisdiction, in all cases where no legal remedy is provided by any enactment. Section 83 of the Constitution provides that the Supreme Court has original jurisdiction in the interpretation of the Constitution. It has the power and jurisdiction to hear and determine any complaint of a disciplinary nature in respect of the professional conduct of a law practitioner or a ministerial officer including a land surveyor.[13] Moreover, the Supreme Court has exclusive jurisdiction in matters pertaining to judicial review and has the same powers as the High Court in England.[15]
The Supreme Court has full power and jurisdiction to hear and determine all appeals, whether civil or criminal, made to the Court from: a judge in the exercise of his original jurisdiction, the Bankruptcy Division, the Master and Registrar, the Intermediate Court, the Industrial Court, a Magistrate, any other court or body established under any other enactment Appeals are heard before at least two judges.[13]
Divisions of the Supreme Court
The Family Division of the Supreme Court was established in January 2008 and it administers all family related cases like divorce, judicial separation, alimony and maintenance or custody or guardianship of minors. The Commercial Division of the Supreme Court established in 2009 administers all cases related to companies, disputes, trademarks, exchange, offshore business and patents. The Master's Court administers legal heir provisions of Mauritian laws. The Mediation Division disposes all civil suit, action or cause of common agreement.[16] The Court of Civil Appeal is a division of the Supreme Court and is composed of the Judges of the Supreme Court presided by the Chief Justice or the Senior Puisne Judge. The Court of Criminal Appeal is a division of the Supreme Court and is duly constituted by three judges presided over by the Chief Justice or the Senior Puisne Judge. A person convicted before the Supreme Court may appeal under the Criminal Appeal Act against his conviction or sentence.[17] The Judicial Council is the final court of appeal where questions on interpretation of constitution, dispute value is more than 10,000, final provisions of section 17 of Constitution and matters of public importance as directed by Supreme Court. The Supreme Court also administers all the Intermediate Courts, Industrial Court and District Courts.[18]
The Master and Registrar is an officer of the Supreme Court and shall be a barrister of at least 5 years standing. His duties consist in the taxing of costs, to conduct and manage judicial sales, probate of wills and the matters connected therewith, interdictions and local examinations and to deal with matters of audit, inquiry, and accounts and generally, all such matters as may be referred to him by the Chief Justice or the Judges. The Master is assisted by a Deputy Master. The Secretary to the Chief Justice has a set of administrative and technical officers. The Chief Registrar has a set of Chief court officer and manager for each of the divisions and sections of the Supreme Court.[19]
Statistics
As of 2014, a total of 8,594 cases were pending before the Supreme Court of Mauritius. The number of cases before the case decreased by 1 per cent in 2014 compared to 2013, while the number of cases disposed increased by 32 per cent. The number of criminal offences convicted before the Criminal Division of the Supreme Court increased by 8 per cent in 2014. There were three sodomy and twelve convictions in drug related cases in 2014.[20]
Type | 2007[21] | 2008[22] | 2009[22] | 2010[21] | 2011[23] | 2012[23] | 2013[23] | 2014[23] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Civil cases pending at the beginning of the year | 10,629 | 11,511 | 12,288 | 8,906 | 8,973 | 8,710 | 8,313 | 9,704 |
Civil cases lodged | 7,368 | 6,995 | 7,366 | 9,020 | 8,944 | 9,033 | 9,427 | 9,295 |
Civil cases disposed | 6,486 | 5,752 | 7,893 | 8,559 | 8,253 | 8,244 | 8,036 | 10,646 |
Civil cases outstanding at the end of the year | 11,511 | 12,278 | 8,407 | 8,973 | 8,710 | 8,502 | 9,704 | 8,353 |
Criminal cases pending at the beginning of the year | 229 | 335 | 416 | 474 | 466 | 435 | 431 | 319 |
Criminal cases lodged | 221 | 249 | 246 | 214 | 231 | 198 | 189 | 184 |
Criminal cases disposed | 115 | 168 | 169 | 222 | 206 | 224 | 302 | 266 |
Criminal cases outstanding at the end of the year | 335 | 416 | 474 | 466 | 423 | 431 | 319 | 241 |
Total pending at the beginning of the year | 10,858 | 11,846 | 12,704 | 9,380 | 9,439 | 9,145 | 8,744 | 10,023 |
Total cases lodged | 7,589 | 7,244 | 7,612 | 9,234 | 9,175 | 9,231 | 9,616 | 9,479 |
Total cases disposed | 6,601 | 5,920 | 8,062 | 8,781 | 8,459 | 8,468 | 8,338 | 10,912 |
Total cases outstanding at the end of the year | 11,846 | 12,694 | 8,881 | 9,439 | 9,133 | 8,933 | 10,023 | 8,594 |
Chief Justices of Mauritius
Incumbent[11] | Tenure | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
British Mauritius | |||||||
George Smith | 30 October 1814– | ||||||
Edward Berens Blackburn | 10 January 1824 – 1835 | ||||||
James Wilson | 1 October 1835– | ||||||
Sir Stevenson Villiers Surtees | 1857 (acting) | ||||||
Sir J Edward Romono | 1858 (acting) | ||||||
Sir Charles Farquhar Shand | 30 May 1860 | ||||||
Sir Nicholas Gustave Bestel | 1878 (acting) | ||||||
Sir Adam Gib Ellis | 1 September 1879– | ||||||
Sir Eugène P. J. Leclézio | 22 November 1883– | ||||||
Francis Taylor Piggott | 7 April 1895 (acting) | ||||||
Sir Eugène P. J. Leclézio | 25 May 1895 – 1897 | ||||||
(Sir) Louis Victor Delafaye | 30 April 1898– | ||||||
F. C. Moncrieff | 16 Feb 1900 (acting) | ||||||
Ernest Didier St Amand | 24 Apr 1900 (acting) | ||||||
Richard Myles Brown | 31 Aug 1906 (acting) | ||||||
Louis Arthur Thibaud | 5 Oct 1908 (acting) | ||||||
Richard Myles Brown | 23 Oct 1908 (acting) | ||||||
Furcy Alfred Herchenroder | 2 Sep 1912 (acting) | ||||||
Sir Louis Victor Delafaye | 12 Nov 1912 – 31 Dec 1912 | ||||||
Furcy Alfred Herchenroder | 1 Jan 1913–1916 | ||||||
Thomas Ernest Roseby[24] | 1917–1929 | ||||||
Sir Philip Bertie Petrides | 1930–1935 | ||||||
Sir Justin Louis Devaux[25]
|
1940–1943 | ||||||
Sir Charlton Lane | – c. 1945 | ||||||
Sir Rampersad Neerunjun | c. 1960– | ||||||
Michel Rivalland | 1967–1970 | ||||||
Mauritius | |||||||
Michel Rivalland | 1967–1970 | ||||||
Sir Jean François Maurice Latour-Adrien | 1970–1977 | ||||||
Sir William Henry Garrioch | 1977–1978 | ||||||
Sir Maurice Rault | 1978–1982 | ||||||
Sir Cassam Moollan
|
1982–1988 | ||||||
Sir Victor Joseph Patrick Glover
|
1988–1994 | ||||||
Rajsoomer Lallah | 1995–1995 | ||||||
Jocelyn Serge Forget de Villerfaux | 5 August 1995 | ||||||
Ariranga Pillay | 1996–2007 | ||||||
Y. K. J. Yeung Sik Yuen | 2007–2013 | ||||||
Kheshoe Parsad Matadeen | 2013–2019 | ||||||
Marc France Eddy Balancy | 26 March 2019 – 5 May 2020 | ||||||
Ashraf Caunhye | 6 May 2020 – 17 November 2021 | ||||||
Rehana Mungly-Gulbul | 18 November 2021 - present |
See also
Notes
- ^ "Mauritius-The Administration of Justice" (PDF). Retrieved 7 October 2015.
- ^ Group, Temple (27 November 2020). "COURT JURISDICTION – SUPREME COURT AND THE JUDICIAL COMMITTEE OF THE PRIVY COUNCIL". Temple Group | Mauritius. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
- ^ "JUDGMENT PRIVY COUNCIL 2014" (PDF).
- ^ "The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in Mauritius". The First Mauritian Law Platform. 25 May 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
- ^ "The Mauritian Legal System and Research - GlobaLex". www.nyulawglobal.org. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
- ISBN 9781843144922.
- ^ a b c "History". Government Portal of Mauritius. Retrieved 22 January 2015.
- ^ "History of Mauritius" (PDF). Ministry of Art & Culture, Government Portal of Mauritius. Retrieved 22 January 2015.
- ISBN 0-04-969001-9.
- ISBN 9781317095385.
- ^ a b Toussaint, A.; Barnwell, P.J. A short History of Mauritius.
- ^ "History of the Supreme Court of Mauritius". The Supreme Court of Mauritius. 2014. Retrieved 27 October 2016.
- ^ a b c "The Supreme Court of Mauritius". The Supreme Court of Mauritius. 2014. Retrieved 27 October 2016.
- ^ Supreme Court of Mauritius 2014, p. 2
- ^ Tuyau Cedric, Beeharry S. v Sugar Industry Labour Welfare Fund & Ors Case Commentary (June 6, 2020). Available at SSRN: https://papers.ssrn.com/abstract=3621651
- ^ Supreme Court of Mauritius 2014, p. 3
- ^ Supreme Court of Mauritius 2014, p. 4
- ^ Supreme Court of Mauritius 2014, p. 5
- ^ Supreme Court of Mauritius 2014, p. ii
- ^ Supreme Court of Mauritius 2014, p. 9
- ^ a b Supreme Court of Mauritius 2010, p. 11
- ^ a b Supreme Court of Mauritius 2009, p. 14
- ^ a b c d Supreme Court of Mauritius 2014, p. 11
- ^ "Famous judges". St Paul's University. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
- ^ "Seychells Judges". Seychelles Weekly. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
References
- Annual report of Judiciary 2009 (PDF) (Report). Supreme Court of Mauritius. 2009.
- Annual report of Judiciary 2010 (PDF) (Report). Supreme Court of Mauritius. 2010.
- Annual report of Judiciary 2014 (PDF) (Report). Supreme Court of Mauritius. 2014.