204 TRINIDAD. 



Appeals. The alcades in ordinary, however, continued to 

 entertain actions in civil matters until the year 1828, when the 

 " Court of Alcades in Ordinary w was abolished by an Order in 

 Council of September, 1822. 



By this and another order of the same date beneficial altera- 

 tions were made in the judicial administration of the colony. 

 The powers united in the decision of civil and criminal cases were 

 separated ; " Courts of Criminal Trials " and " First Instance 

 of Civil Jurisdiction " were established, and a judge of " Criminal 

 Enquiry n appointed. A " Court of Appeal," both in criminal 

 and civil matters, was organised, with the Governor as judge, 

 assisted by an assessor, who acted also as assistant to the 

 chief judge in the " Court of Criminal Trial " and that of " First 

 Instance of Civil Jurisdiction." 



Judge Bigge was succeeded in the year 1820 by Ashtoi 

 Warner, Esq., of the Middle Temple; he died in September 

 1830, much esteemed and universally regretted, both as a jud^ 

 and gentleman. His successor (in 1832) was his Honour Geor^ 

 George Scotland, of the Middle Temple, a talented barristt 

 who retired from the colony in the year 1849 on a pensioi 

 leaving as his successor George William Knox, barrister, a 

 native of the island, a scholar, and a highly-respected judge. 

 Our present Chief Justice is Sir Joseph Needham; there are 

 besides the Chief Justice two puisne judges — their Honours 

 Horace Fitzgerald and Henry Court. 



The English practice and the English laws were gradually 

 introduced into the colony. In the year 1844 the criminal law 

 of England and trial by jury were adopted; trial by jury in 

 civil cases was adopted in 1848. 



The Judicature Act was introduced, with some modifications, 

 in the year 1879. Our present judicial establishment now 

 consists of the Supreme Court, which is a court of record ; it 

 has the same jurisdiction within the colony as the High Court 

 of Justice has in England, except in admiralty and divorce and 

 matrimonial causes. 



The Supreme Court. — Jurisdiction in all cases of lunacy 

 and bankruptcy ; it has an appellate jurisdiction, both in civil 

 and criminal cases, from the decision of a single judge, whether 

 sitting in court or in chambers ; also from the decisions of 

 stipendiary or other justices of the peace where the penaltic 



