The chief justice of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is the head of the judiciary of Sri Lanka and the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka. Established in 1801, the chief justice is one of ten Supreme Court justices; the other nine are the puisne justices of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka. The post was created in 1801. The chief justice is nominated by the Constitutional Council, and appointed by the president. The first chief justice was Codrington Edmund Carrington. The current chief justice is Murdu Nirupa Fernando.
The solicitor general of Sri Lanka is a post subordinate to the attorney general of Sri Lanka. The solicitor general of Sri Lanka assists the attorney general, and is assisted by four additional solicitors general. Note that the post was solicitor general of Ceylon until Sri Lanka became a republic in 1972.
The Attorney General's Department is a non-ministerial government department in Sri Lanka that supports the attorney general and his/her deputy the solicitor general. The department is headed by the attorney general and comes under the purview of the Ministry of Justice. The office of "Attorney General" was formally adopted in the year 1884.
Sir Richard Francis Morgan was a Ceylonese lawyer, who served as the 13th Queen's Advocate of Ceylon and acting Chief Justice of Ceylon. He was the first Asian in the British Empire to receive a Knighthood and first Ceylonese to be a member of the Governor's Executive Council and was an unofficial (Burgher) member of the Legislative Council of Ceylon. He was the Crown Advocate who prosecuted famed bandit Saradiel.
Sir Richard Cayley was a British lawyer who served as the 14th Chief Justice of Ceylon and 14th Queen's Advocate of Ceylon.
Chellappah Nagalingam, KC was a leading Ceylonese judge and lawyer. He was a Judge of the Supreme Court of Ceylon and served as acting Governor-General of Ceylon in 1954. He also served as acting Chief Justice, acting Legal Secretary and Attorney General. He was the first Ceylon Tamil to be appointed to the bench of the Supreme Court of Ceylon. He is considered to be the leading founder of Hindu College Colombo.
Justice Sir Harry Dias Bandaranaike was a Ceylonese barrister and judge. He was the first Sinhalese and native acting Chief Justice and Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka. He was an Unofficial Member of Legislative Council of Ceylon.
The Judiciary of Sri Lanka are the civil and criminal courts responsible for the administration of justice in Sri Lanka. The Constitution of Sri Lanka defines courts as independent institutions within the traditional framework of checks and balances. They apply Sri Lankan Law which is an amalgam of English common law, Roman-Dutch civil law and Customary Law; and are established under the Judicature Act No 02 of 1978 of the Parliament of Sri Lanka.
Sir William Coke was a Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Ceylon as well as acting as Provisional Chief Justice of Ceylon and the fourth Advocate Fiscal of Ceylon.
SirLancelot Henry Elphinstone was the 22nd Attorney General of Ceylon.
Sir Edward St John Jackson, was a British colonial judge and administrator.
John William Ronald Ilangakoon, KC was a Ceylonese lawyer. He was the 25th Attorney General of Ceylon and 11th Solicitor General of Ceylon.
Manikku Wadumestri Hendrick de Silva, QC was a Ceylonese lawyer, judge and statesman. He served in several top legal positions in the island, as the 26th Attorney General of Ceylon, a Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Ceylon and finally the Minister of Justice in the cabinet of S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike as a member of the Senate of Ceylon.
Douglas St. Clive Budd Jansze, was a Ceylonese lawyer. He was the 31st Attorney General of Ceylon and Solicitor General of Ceylon.
Deshamanya Abdul Caffoor Mohamed Ameer, QC was Sri Lankan lawyer. He was the 32nd Attorney General of Ceylon. He was appointed in 1966, succeeding Douglas St. Clive Budd Jansze, and held the office until 1970. He was succeeded by Victor Tennekoon.
Raja Sirimevan Wanasundera PC was a Sri Lankan judge who served as a Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka and the 27th Solicitor General of Sri Lanka.
Sir John Harry Barclay Nihill, was a British lawyer and administrator who served throughout the British Empire.
Christopher Temple was a Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Ceylon from 1854 to 1873. Temple had served as Deputy Queen's Advocate of Ceylon and Judge of the District Court of Colombo prior to being elevated as a Puisne Justice. He was appointed Senior Puisne Justice on 1 January 1863 and acted as Chief Justice when Chief Justice Edward Shepherd Creasy went on leave on 7 September 1869.
