The Turks and Caicos Islands Constitution Order 1988

Tenure of office of judges of Court of Appeal.

54.—(1) Subject to the provisions of this section, the office of a judge of the Court of Appeal shall become vacant upon the expiration of the period of his appointment to that office.

(2) A judge of the Court of Appeal may be removed from office only for inability to discharge the functions of his office (whether arising from infirmity of body or mind or any other cause) or for misbehaviour, and shall not be so removed except in accordance with subsection (3) of this section.

(3) A judge of the Court of Appeal shall be removed from office by the Governor by instrument under the public seal if the question of the removal of that judge from office has, at the request of the Governor made in pursuance of subsection (4) of this section, been referred by Her Majesty to the Judicial Committee of Her Majesty’s Privy Council under section 4 of the Judicial Committee Act 1833 or any other enactment enabling Her Majesty in that behalf, and the Judicial Committee has advised Her Majesty that the judge ought to be removed from office for inability as aforesaid or misbehaviour.

(4) If the Governor considers that the question of removing a judge of the Court of Appeal from office for inability as aforesaid or misbehaviour ought to be investigated, then—

(a) the Governor shall appoint a tribunal, which shall consist of a Chairman and not less than two other members selected by the Governor from among persons who hold or have held high judicial office;

(b) the tribunal shall inquire into the matter and report on the facts thereof to the Governor and advise the Governor whether he should request that the question of the removal of that judge should be referred by Her Majesty to the Judicial Committee; and

(c) if the tribunal so advises, the Governor shall request that the question should be referred accordingly.

(5) The provisions of the Commissions of Inquiry Ordinance as in force on the date of commencement of this Constitution shall, subject to the provisions of this section, apply as nearly as may be in relation to tribunals appointed under subsection (4) of this section or, as the context may require, to the members thereof as they apply in relation to Commissions or Commissioners appointed under that Ordinance.

(6) If the question of removing a judge of the Court of Appeal from office has been referred to a tribunal under subsection (4) of this section the Governor may suspend the judge from performing the functions of his office, and any such suspension may at any time be revoked by the Governor, and shall in any case cease to have effect—

(a) if the tribunal advises the Governor that he should not request that the question of the removal of the judge from office should be referred by Her Majesty to the Judicial Committee; or

(b) if the Judicial Committee advises Her Majesty that the judge ought not to be removed from office.

(7) The powers conferred upon the Governor by this section shall be exercised by him in his discretion.