Commencement of the 2025 Legal Year

The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) will usher in the new legal year of 2025 with a ceremonial opening on Friday, January 10th. This year’s theme, “Accessibility and Awareness – The ECSC Bridging the Gap Through Community Awareness,” underscores the court’s commitment to engaging with the communities it serves. Saint Lucia will host the primary ceremonial events, coinciding with the first Court of Appeal sitting of the year in that member state. This centralized approach, adopted in recent years, allows for a unified and accessible ceremony across all nine member states and territories.

The ceremonial opening in St. Kitts and Nevis will begin with a church service at St. Paul Anglican Church in Charlestown, Nevis, at 8:00 a.m. Following the service, a procession will lead to the Theodore L. Hobson KC Court Building, also in Charlestown, where the Inspection of the Guard will take place. The formal Special Sitting of the Court will commence at 9:30 a.m., culminating in an address by the Honourable Chief Justice, Mr. Mario Michel, at 10:00 a.m. to officially mark the opening of the new legal year.

While the physical ceremony takes place in Saint Lucia, the proceedings will be broadcast live to the other eight member states and territories. This virtual participation, facilitated by the Saint Lucia Information Services media platforms and social media pages, alongside the ECSC’s own online channels and local media outlets like Nevis Newscast, SKNIS, and UWITV, ensures broad accessibility to the event. Acting Chief Justice, the Honourable Mr. Mario Michel, will deliver the keynote address from Saint Lucia. He will be joined virtually by other key legal figures, including the Attorney General of Saint Lucia and representatives from each member state and territory, such as Ms. Miselle O’Brien of St. Kitts and Nevis, who will participate via the Zoom platform.

The ECSC’s emphasis on community engagement reflects its crucial role within the OECS region. Established in 1967, the ECSC serves as the superior court of record for six independent nations: Antigua and Barbuda, the Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Additionally, its jurisdiction extends to three British Overseas Territories: Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands, and Montserrat. The court’s unlimited jurisdiction within each member state underscores its fundamental importance to the region’s legal landscape. The theme of accessibility and awareness further highlights the court’s dedication to ensuring that its services and proceedings are understood and accessible to all citizens.

The decision to hold a single, centralized ceremony and broadcast it widely is a testament to the ECSC’s commitment to inclusivity and transparency. By leveraging technology, the court can reach a larger audience than would be possible with individual ceremonies in each member state and territory. This approach not only ensures consistent messaging across the region but also underscores the interconnectedness of the legal systems within the OECS. The virtual participation of legal professionals from each jurisdiction reinforces this message of unity and collaboration.

The ceremonial opening serves as an important annual tradition for the ECSC, reaffirming its dedication to upholding the rule of law and serving the people of the Eastern Caribbean. The public is strongly encouraged to partake in this important occasion, either by attending the service and special sitting in person where possible or by tuning in through the various broadcast platforms available. This year’s theme of accessibility and awareness serves as a timely reminder of the ECSC’s ongoing commitment to bridging the gap between the legal system and the communities it serves, fostering greater understanding and engagement with the judicial process. For those seeking further information on the ECSC, its website and contact information are readily available.