Jamaica · Courts
Court structure of Jamaica
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
- Sits in London; final appeal in civil and criminal matters.
- Regional — Caribbean Court of Justice
- Original jurisdiction only — interpretation of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas.
- Appellate — Court of Appeal of Jamaica
- The highest court sitting in Jamaica.
- Superior first instance — Supreme Court of Judicature
- Unlimited civil and criminal jurisdiction; includes the Revenue Court and Gun Court.
- First instance — Parish Courts
- Renamed from Resident Magistrate's Courts in 2016; handle most criminal and small civil cases.
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.
- appellateKingstonCourt of Appeal of JamaicaAppeals from the Supreme Court and the Parish Courts in civil and criminal matters, and from certain tribunals.
- first-instanceKingstonSupreme Court of Judicature of JamaicaUnlimited civil and criminal jurisdiction, constitutional claims under section 19 of the Charter, and specialist divisions including the Revenue Court, Gun Court and Commercial Division.
- first-instanceKingstonParish CourtsSummary criminal offences, civil claims up to the statutory limit, family and maintenance matters, traffic and petty sessions business.
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