The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court is marking the commencement of the New Law Year with its traditional Ceremonial Opening proceedings today January 10 under the theme, “Accessibility and Awareness -The ECSC Bridging the Gap Through Community Engagement”. 

This year, the host Member State is Saint Lucia, where the first scheduled sitting for the Court of Appeal for 2025 will occur. In the Territory of the Virgin Islands, the Ceremonial Opening will commence with a church service at the Road Town Methodist Church on Main Street on Friday 10th January.

Following the Church Service, a formal Special Sitting of the Court will be held at the High Court in Tortola. Similar to the past four years, there will be one Special Sitting throughout the 9 Member States and Territories. 

The Acting Chief Justice, His Lordship The Honourable Mr. Mario Michel, will deliver the feature address, appearing live from Saint Lucia along with the Attorney General of Saint Lucia and the other speakers from the various Member States and Territories of the Eastern Caribbean.

The Special Sitting will be streamed live to via the Saint Lucia Information Services’ platforms, Government Information Services in each Member State and Territory and UWITV.

The public is encouraged to participate in the Ceremonial Opening of the Law Year 2025 by attending either the church service or the Special Sitting or by watching and listening on the various media platforms. 

The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) was established in 1967 by the West Indies Associated States Supreme Court Order No. 223 of 1967. The (ECSC) is a superior court of record for the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), including six independent states: Antigua and Barbuda, the Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and three British Overseas Territories (Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, and Montserrat). It has unlimited jurisdiction in each Member State.

To learn more about the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC), persons are invited to visit https://www.eccourts.org/ or by telephone, using 758-457-3600.