Mode of Address - The Judiciary

THE JUDICIARY

The Chief Justice & The President of the Court of Appeal

            The Chief Justice and the President of the Court of Appeal are formally referred to as: ‘The Honourable Mr./Mrs./Miss Justice ...., Chief Justice or The Honourable Mr./Mrs./Miss Justice...., President of the Court of Appeal. Subsequently the Chief Justice may be referred to as, ‘The Chief Justice', and the President of the Court of Appeal as ‘The President'.

In court, The Chief Justice and the President of the Court of Appeal are referred to as, ‘My Lordship/Ladyship' or ‘My Lord/Lady'. It is customary to appoint the Chief Justice and the  President of the Court of Appeal to membership in the Order of Jamaica; once appointed, the formal mode of address is ‘The Honourable....., OJ'.

The formal mode of address in:

Writing:

• (i) The Honourable Mrs. Justice McCalla, OJ

Chief Justice

Supreme  Court

            Opening Salutation:

                        Dear Chief Justice/Madam/Sir

                        ...................................

                                    Yours respectfully

                                    Signature'

            Speech:

                        ‘Chief Justice', ‘Mrs. Justice McCalla'

Informally:

            ‘Justice McCalla'

• (ii) The Honourable Mr. Justice Panton, OJ

President of the Court of Appeal

Supreme Court

            Opening Salutation:

                        Dear Mr. Justice Panton

                        ...............................

                                    Yours respectfully

                                    Signature'

            Speech:

                        ‘President', ‘Mr. Justice Panton',

            Informally:

                        ‘Justice Panton'

A Judge of the Court of Appeal/High Court

            A Judge of the Court of Appeal/High Court is formally styled, ‘The Honourable Mr./Mrs./Miss Justice on first reference, and Mr./Mrs./Miss Justice subsequently. In court he/she may be referred to as ‘My Lord/My Lady' or ‘Your Lordship/Ladyship'.

            Please note that the first name of a judge should be used only where there are two or more judges with the same surname, in which case the first name of the Junior one(s) is used with his/her surname at all times.

            A Puisne (pronounced pu'ni-with a long ‘u') Judge is merely a term used to describe a member of the High Court other than the Chief Justice.

            The Master rules on civil cases in Chambers, and is styled ‘The Master' (whether male/female).

            A Resident Magistrate is ‘His/Her Honour Mr./Mrs./Miss, Resident Magistrate' (or ‘RM"). Subsequently he/she is referred to as: ‘the Magistrate or the Resident Magistrate'. In court he/she is referred to as ‘Your Honour'. Outside court circles the latter referral would only be used in the salutation of a formal letter or in formal introduction as a speaker.

            A Justice of the Peace (JP)  is styled ‘Your Worship' on the bench, otherwise he/she is addressed by name in the usual manner.

            When a judge of the Court of Appeal/High Court retires from service, he/she retains his/her judicial style, and this is written , ‘the Honourable Mr./Mrs./Miss Justice Black (ret'd).

            If an Attorney At-Law, who is a Queen 's Counsel (QC), becomes a judge of the High Court or the Court of Appeal, he/she drops the ‘QC' after their name. The initials may be used upon retirement.

Members of the Privy Council of Jamaica

            The Members are styled ‘Honourable', however, the post nominal letters PC are optional, for example, ‘The Honourable Dennis Lalor, OJ, Privy Councillor'

            The Honourable Dennis Lalor, OJ

            Privy Councillor

            Address

Opening Salutation:

            ‘Dear Privy Councillor,

            .................................

                        Yours respectfully

President of the Jamaica Council of Churches

            The President of the Jamaica Council of Churches is formally addressed in:

Writing:

            Reverend Karl Johnson

            President of the Jamaica Council of Churches

            Address

Opening Salutation:

            ‘Dear President'           (In his capacity)

            ................................

                        Yours respectfully,

                        Signature

Speech:

            ‘Reverend Johnson'      (In his religious capacity)

Informally:

            ‘Reverend Johnson'

Head of the Civil Service

            The current Head of the Civil Service/Cabinet Secretary is formally addressed in:

Writing:

            Ambassador Douglas Saunders, CD, JP

            Head of the Civil Service and Cabinet Secretary

            Cabinet Office

Opening Salutation

            ‘Dear Cabinet Secretary/Ambassador Saunders

            ....................................

                                    Signature'

Speech:

      ‘The Cabinet Secretary', ‘Ambassador Douglas Saunders, CD, JP', ‘Ambassador Saunders'

Head of the Foreign Service

            The current Head of the Foreign Service is formally addressed:

In Writing:

            Ambassador Gail Mathurin, CD

            Permanent Secretary and Head of the Foreign Service

            Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Foreign Trade

Opening Salutation:

            ‘Dear Ambassador Mathurin,

            ..................................................

                                    Yours sincerely'

                                    Sign'

In Speech:

            ‘Ambassador Mathurin'/'Permanent Secretary'

Informally:

            ‘Ambassador'