Sir Richard McMahon | |
---|---|
Born | 1962 (age 61–62) |
Nationality | British |
Education | Abingdon School University of Liverpool University of Cambridge |
Sir Richard James McMahon (born 1962) is a British barrister who has served as Bailiff of Guernsey since 2020. [1]
Born in 1962, McMahon was educated at Abingdon School from 1973 to 1980, before he went to study Law at the University of Liverpool and University of Cambridge (Emmanuel College). [2] [3] Further education was at the Inns of Court School of Law in London and the Universite de Caen in France. [4]
McMahon was called to the English Bar, Middle Temple in 1986 and lectured in law at the University of Reading from 1987 to 1995. He became a Guernsey barrister in 1998 before being appointed a Crown Advocate in 2008. The following year he was appointed Solicitor General and Queen's Counsel. [1] [4]
McMahon was appointed to the office of Deputy Bailiff of Guernsey in 2012. [1]
In May 2020 McMahon was sworn in and became the 90th Bailiff of Guernsey, taking over the position of Bailiff from Sir Richard Collas. The Bailiff of Guernsey is ex-officio President of the Guernsey Court of Appeal and the President of the Court of Appeal and sits as a judge in both that court and the Royal Court. [4]
McMahon was knighted in the 2023 Birthday Honours for services to the Crown and the community in the Bailiwick of Guernsey. [5]
Politics of Guernsey take place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic British Crown dependency.
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 is the civic head of the Bailiwick of Jersey. In this role, he is not the head of government nor the head of state, but the chief justice of Jersey and presiding officer of Jersey's parliament, the States Assembly. The Bailiff is also the President of the Royal Court. It is similar in role to the Bailiff of Guernsey.
The jurats are lay people in Guernsey and Jersey who act as judges of fact rather than law, though they preside over land conveyances and liquor licensing. In Alderney, however, the jurats are judges of both fact and law in both civil and criminal matters.
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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.
Politics of Alderney takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic British Crown dependency, whereby the President of the States of Alderney is the head of government. Alderney is part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey but is largely self-governing.
Sir Michael Cameron St John Birt, KC was the 88th Bailiff of Jersey in the Channel Islands.
The judiciary of Jersey is a branch of the government of Jersey that interprets and applies the laws of Jersey, to ensure equal justice under law, and to provide a mechanism for dispute resolution. The Bailiff of Jersey is the President of the Royal Court. Individual trials are heard by the Bailiff, the Deputy Bailiff or a Commissioner. The Master of the Royal Court deals with some preliminary matters in civil cases. The Court is supported by the Judicial Greffier who acts as the registrar. In addition to the judge, the Royal Court includes a number of volunteer Jurats. The Jurats decide issues of fact in criminal and civil trials, hand down sentences in criminal trials and award damages in civil trials. All judges in Jersey are bound by a code of conduct, introduced in 2007, which requires them to "uphold the integrity and independence of the judiciary and perform their duties with competence, diligence and dedication".
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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.
Megan Pullum, QC is a British-born lawyer practising in Guernsey who has been HM Procureur and Receiver General (Attorney-General) on the island since 2016.
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