Sir Geoffrey Rowland | |
---|---|
Bailiff of Guernsey | |
In office June 2005 –March 2012 | |
Deputy | Richard Collas |
Preceded by | de Vic Carey |
Succeeded by | Richard Collas |
Personal details | |
Born | 1948 (age 75–76) Guernsey |
Children | 2 |
Alma mater | Elizabeth College University of Southampton |
Sir Geoffrey Robert Rowland (born 1948) was the Bailiff of Guernsey from 2005 to 2012. [1] [2]
Having studied law at the University of Southampton,graduating in 1969, [3] Rowland was called to the English Bar at Gray's Inn in 1970 and admitted as an Advocate of the Royal Court,Guernsey,in 1971. He was in practice as an Advocate of the Royal Court in the firm of Collas,Day &Rowland 1971 - 1992. He was Vice Chairman of the Guernsey Financial Services Commission 1997 - 2002. He was then recommended for Crown Office and left private practice when Senior Partner.
He successively held office as H M Comptroller (Solicitor General) 1992 - 1999,and H M Procureur (Attorney General) 1999 - 2002. He was appointed Queen's Counsel in 1993. He also held office as H M Receiver General 1999 - 2002.
Elevated to the Judiciary,he held the office of Deputy Bailiff 2002 - 2005 and was installed as the 88th Bailiff of Guernsey in June 2005. The Bailiff of Guernsey is ex-officio President of the Guernsey Court of Appeal. Geoffrey has also been a Judge of the Jersey Court of Appeal since 2005.
He became a Fellow of the Society of Advanced Legal Studies 2001 and Honorary Master of the Bench of Gray's Inn 2008. Honorary Doctorates of Laws were conferred by the University of Bournemouth (2006) [4] and the University of Southampton (2009). [3]
He held office as Provincial Grand Master,United Grand Lodge of Freemasons of England,2000 - 2007. He is married to Diana,and they have two sons,Peter and John.
He received the honour of knighthood (Knight Bachelor) in the 2009 Birthday Honours. [5]
Sir Geoffrey retired as Bailiff on 22 March 2012. [6]
The Bailiff is the chief justice in each of the Channel Island bailiwicks of Guernsey and Jersey,also serving as president of the legislature and having ceremonial and executive functions. Each bailiwick has possessed its own bailiff since the islands were divided into two jurisdictions in the 13th century. The bailiffs and deputy bailiffs are appointed by the Crown on the advice of the Secretary of State for Justice and may hold office until retirement age.
The title Bailiff of Guernsey has been used since at least the 13th century and indicated the leading citizen of Guernsey.
The Bailiff of Jersey has several roles:
William Douglas Cullen,Baron Cullen of Whitekirk is a former senior member of the Scottish judiciary. He formerly served as Lord Justice General and Lord President of the Court of Session,and was an additional Lord of Appeal in the House of Lords prior to the transfer of its judicial functions to the Supreme Court.
Sir Ti-liang Yang,was a Hong Kong judge. He was the Chief Justice of Hong Kong from 1988 to 1996,the only ethnic Chinese person to hold this office during British colonial rule.
Sir Philip Martin Bailhache KC is a Jersey politician and lawyer.
Terence Michael Elkan Barnet Etherton,Baron Etherton is a British retired judge and member of the House of Lords. He was the Master of the Rolls and Head of Civil Justice from 2016 to 2021 and Chancellor of the High Court from 2013 to 2016.
Brian Francis Kerr,Baron Kerr of Tonaghmore,,was a Northern Irish barrister and a senior judge. He held office as Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland and then as a justice of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom. In 2009,he was the last person to receive a law life peerage under the Appellate Jurisdiction Act 1876. At the time of his retirement on 30 September 2020,he was the longest-serving justice of the Supreme Court,and the court's last original member.
The law of Jersey has been influenced by several different legal traditions,in particular Norman customary law,English common law and modern French civil law. The Bailiwick of Jersey is a separate jurisdiction from that of the United Kingdom,and is also distinct from that of the other Channel Islands such as Guernsey,although they do share some historical developments. Jersey's legal system is 'mixed' or 'pluralistic',and sources of law are in French and English languages,although since the 1950s the main working language of the legal system is English.
Geoffrey Ma Tao-li is a retired Hong Kong judge who served as the 2nd Chief Justice of the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal—the court of last resort in Hong Kong. Between 2001 and 2010,he held various positions in the High Court of Hong Kong,including Chief Judge,Justice of Appeal,and Judge of the Court of First Instance. Before his judicial career,he was a barrister-at-law in private practice at Temple Chambers,and was qualified to practice in England and Wales,Hong Kong,Australia and Singapore.
Sir Geoffrey Charles Vos is a judge in England and Wales. Since January 2021,he has held the positions of Master of the Rolls and the Head of Civil Justice in England and Wales.
Sir de Vic Graham Carey was Bailiff of Guernsey from 1999 to 2005. He is the son of advocate Victor Michael Graham de Vic ("Michael") Carey and Jean.
The Courts of Guernsey are responsible for the administration of justice in the Bailiwick of Guernsey,one of the Channel Islands. They apply the law of the Island,which is a mixture of customary law dating back as far as the 10th century and legislation passed by the legislature,the States of Deliberation.
Sir Richard Collas was Bailiff of Guernsey from 2012 until his retirement in 2020.
Sir Peter de Havilland was a lawyer and member of the de Havilland family of Guernsey. He served as Bailiff of Guernsey from 1810 to 1821.
Sir Richard James McMahon is a British barrister who has served as Bailiff of Guernsey since 2020.
Sir Charles Keith Frossard was Bailiff of Guernsey from 1982 to 1992.