Welcome from the Chief Justice of Bermuda, the Hon. Richard W. Ground OBE

It is my privilege to welcome you to the Portal pages of the Bermuda Judiciary. Here you will find a general Introduction to our Court System, as well as more detailed information for members of the public and lawyers alike.  

The courts of Bermuda are committed to dealing with all cases quickly and fairly. Waiting times are short. On the criminal side new cases can expect to be tried within three months. On the civil side, the courts always have time to take urgent matters immediately, and to set longer matters down at a time convenient to the parties.  

To help support Bermuda’s mercantile economy, we have recently established a Commercial Court, where cases are assigned to an experienced Commercial Judge, who retains conduct throughout.  

Although much of our law and practice derives from England, Bermuda has, throughout its history, crafted English models to fit its special circumstances. In particular our approach to civil procedure reflects the realities of a small jurisdiction, giving the Judges the case management tools they need without blindly adopting procedures more suited to a larger jurisdiction.  

We are also concerned to demystify the law, and are committed to making it more accessible to the ordinary person. To that end we will be crafting a series of guides for the layman, to assist when dealing with commonly encountered problems, which will be posted on this website as they are developed.  

Mission & Mandate  

• The Judiciary is established by the Constitution as a separate and independent branch of government.
  
• Its task is to adjudicate charges of criminal conduct, resolve disputes, uphold the rights and freedoms of the individual and preserve the rule of law.  
  
• Its mission is to carry out its task fairly, justly and expeditiously, and to abide by the requirement of the judicial oath “to do right by all manner of people, without fear or favour, affection or ill-will.”  
  
• The mission of the administrative section of the Judiciary is to provide the services and support necessary to enable the Judiciary to achieve its mission.