Belize's superior court of unlimited original jurisdiction, renamed from the Supreme Court by the Senior Courts Act 2022. It hears serious crime, substantial civil claims and constitutional redress motions under section 20 of the Constitution, and produced the leading Commonwealth rulings on Maya customary land title.
How the court is constituted
- Tier
- supreme
- Court type
- Superior court of record
- Jurisdiction
- National
- Seat
- Belize City and Belmopan
- Established
- 1981
- Composition
- Chief Justice and Justices of the High Court, sitting singly.
- Appointment
- The Chief Justice is appointed by the Governor-General on the Prime Minister's advice with the Leader of the Opposition's concurrence; other judges on the advice of the Judicial and Legal Services Commission.
- Languages
- English
Where an appeal goes next
Appeal to the Court of Appeal, then the Caribbean Court of Justice.
Filing at this court
- Constitutional redress
- Originating motion under section 20 of the Constitution
Decisions worth knowing
- Aurelio Cal v Attorney General2007
Recognised Maya customary land tenure as property protected by the Constitution.
- Maya Leaders Alliance v Attorney General2015
The CCJ affirmed Maya customary title and ordered the government to demarcate and protect it.
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