Ronnie Boodoosingh | |
|---|---|
| 9th Chief Justice of Trinidad and Tobago | |
| Assumed office 22 October 2025 | |
| President | Christine Kangaloo |
| Prime Minister | Kamla Persad-Bissessar |
| Preceded by | Ivor Archie |
| Personal details | |
| Born | |
| Spouse | Aberleen Boodoosingh |
| Children | 1 |
| Education | Presentation College,San Fernando |
| Alma mater | University of the West Indies (LLB) Hugh Wooding Law School (LEC) University of London (LLM) |
| Occupation | |
Ronnie Boodoosingh (born 1969/1970) [1] is a Trinidadian and Tobagonian jurist who is the ninth Chief Justice of Trinidad and Tobago. He was appointed chief justice in October 2025.
Boodoosingh was born to Leela (a.k.a. Leila) and Lal (a.k.a. Steve) Boodoosingh and grew up in a Hindu Indo-Trinidadian family in Pepper Village, Fyzabad in south Trinidad. He is one of eleven children and grew up in a home with no electricity or running water. He was educated at Pepper Village Government Primary School and Presentation College, San Fernando. [2] [fn 1]
Boodoosingh graduated from the University of the West Indies and the Hugh Wooding Law School. He was admitted to the bar in 1992. He later obtained a Master of Laws in international dispute resolution from the University of London. [3]
After being admitted to practice law in 1992, Boodoosingh worked for the law firm J. D. Sellier & Company. [4] He worked for the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) from August 1994 to August 2001. [5] After leaving the office of the DPP he began lecturing at the Hugh Wooding Law School where he taught ethics and served as director of the Trial Advocacy Programme and founded the Human Rights Law Clinic. [4] In 2007 he was appointed a puisne judge, [3] and was appointed to the Court of Appeal in 2020. [6]
Boodoosingh is the ninth Chief Justice of Trinidad and Tobago. [3] He was appointed to the position by acting President Wade Mark on October 22, 2025, "minutes' after the resignation of the former chief justice, Ivor Archie. [7] The leader of the opposition, Pennelope Beckles, objected to the way Boodoosingh was appointment. The president is required to consult with the prime minister and leader of the opposition before appointing a chief justice, and Beckles found the consultation rushed and the information provided to her inadequate. [8] Beckles later said she had "no issue with...Boodoosingh’s competence as a lawyer", but was critical of the way that process was handled. [9] The Law Association of Trinidad and Tobago was also concerned with the way the process was handled, but expressed "full confidence in Justice Boodoosingh’s ability to lead the Judiciary". [10]
Boodoosingh's appointment was supported by high court judge Frank Seepersad, who described it as a "new dawn", [3] and by Martin Daly, a senior counsel, who nonetheless expressed concern about the appointment process, which he found lacking in transparency. [11]
Boodoosingh is married to Aberleen Boodoosingh, [7] a lawyer, [12] and has one daughter, Amiya. [2] He is Hindu and was sworn in as chief justice on the Bhagavad Gita. [7]