The government of the Isle of Man is a parliamentary representative democracy. As a Crown Dependency, it is not subordinate to the government of the United Kingdom. That government, however, is responsible for defence and external affairs and could intervene in the domestic affairs of the island under its residual responsibilities to guarantee "good government" in all Crown dependencies. The Monarch of the United Kingdom is also the head of state of the Isle of Man, and generally referred to as "The Queen, Lord of Mann". Legislation of the Isle of Man defines "the Crown in right of the Isle of Man" as separate from the "Crown in right of the United Kingdom". Her representative on the island is the Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man, but his role is mostly ceremonial, though he does have the power to grant Royal Assent.
Tynwald Day is the National Day of the Isle of Man, usually observed on 5 July.
Sir Philip Martin Bailhache is a former Jersey politician and lawyer. He served as Bailiff of Jersey from 1995 to 2009, before entering the States Assembly in 2011 as a Senator, serving as Jersey’s first Minister for External Relations from 2013 until he stood down from the States Assembly in 2018. He previously served as Deputy for Grouville from 1972 until 1975, before serving successively as Solicitor General, Attorney General and Deputy Bailiff between 1975 and 1995.
The following state officials are some of the most important in the Isle of Man. They take place in the annual Tynwald Day procession and have precedence or importance at other occasions.
A deemster is a judge in the Isle of Man. The High Court of Justice of the Isle of Man is presided over by a deemster or, in the case of the appeal division of that court, a deemster and the Judge of Appeal. The deemsters also promulgate the Laws on Tynwald Day by reading out brief summaries of them in English and Manx.
The lowest courts in the Isle of Man are the summary courts, Coroner of Inquests, Licensing Court, Land Court, etc. These courts are presided over by magistrates. There are two stipendiary magistrates, the High Bailiff and the Deputy High Bailiff, along with lay justices of the peace.
The High Bailiff is a legal position held within the Isle of Man. The High Bailiff is the head stipendiary magistrate.
David Doyle is a Judge of the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands, Financial Services Division. He was, until 31 July 2018, the First Deemster, Clerk of the Rolls and Deputy Governor of the Isle of Man. He was appointed in 2010 and was formerly a partner of Dickinson Cruickshank & Co from 1985 onwards. He was called to the Bar in 1982 and the Manx Bar in 1984.
Alastair Aitken Montgomerie is the Criminal Deemster of the Isle of Man. He was appointed as a Deemster by the Lieutenant Governor.
The High Court of Justice of the Isle of Man is governed by the High Court Act 1991. There are four permanent judges of the High Court:
Thomas Kneen was His Majesty's Clerk of the Rolls for the Isle of Man, a Member of the House of Keys for Glenfaba, and Captain of the Parish of Onchan.
John McHutchin, was a Manx lawyer who successively became High Bailiff of Douglas, Second Deemster and Clerk of the Rolls in the Isle of Man.
Sir Alured Dumbell MLC was a senior judge who was Clerk of the Rolls of the Isle of Man.
Andrew Thomas Kaneen Corlett is the current First Deemster and Clerk of the Rolls of the Isle of Man who served as Second Deemster from 2011 to 2018, having previously held the title of Deputy Deemster from 2007. His appointment as First Deemster & Clerk of the Rolls was announced on 10 July 2018.
Sir James Gell, CVO, QC was a Manx lawyer, who was the First Deemster and Clerk of the Rolls in the Isle of Man. He was also the first Manxman to become Attorney General of the Isle of Man.
James Stowell Gell QC was a Manx advocate who became High Bailiff of both Castletown and Douglas, Isle of Man.
Stewart Stevenson Moore QC was a Manx lawyer, who was the First Deemster and Clerk of the Rolls on the Isle of Man.
Mark Hildesley Quayle, QC was a Manx lawyer, antiquarian and philanthropist who became the Clerk of the Rolls of the Isle of Man and a Member of the House of Keys.
