The Bahamas · Courts
Court structure of The Bahamas
Every tier of the judiciary, what it hears, and where an appeal goes next.
The hierarchy, top to bottom
- Final appellate — Judicial Committee of the Privy Council
- Final appeal in civil and criminal matters.
- Appellate — Court of Appeal
- Sits in Nassau; the highest court in the country.
- Superior first instance — Supreme Court
- Unlimited jurisdiction; includes a commercial division.
- First instance — Magistrates' Courts
- Summary criminal and small civil claims.
Every court in the hierarchy
- internationalLondonJudicial Committee of the Privy CouncilFinal appeal in civil and criminal matters, and on constitutional questions, from the courts of this state.
- appellateNassauCourt of AppealAppeals from the Supreme Court and from Magistrates' Courts in civil and criminal matters.
- first-instanceNassauSupreme CourtUnlimited civil and criminal jurisdiction, constitutional claims under Article 28, and a Commercial Division for substantial business and insolvency disputes.
- first-instanceNassauMagistrates' CourtsSummary criminal offences, preliminary enquiries into indictable charges, small civil claims, and family and maintenance matters.
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