Legal System of Guernsey

Guernsey is located in Europe. It is geographically situated in western europe, islands in the english channel, northwest of france. The country achieved independence on none (british crown dependency). The capital is Saint Peter Port.

Government Overview

Government Type: parliamentary democracy (States of Deliberation) Chief of State: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Lieutenant-Governor Richard CRIPWELL (since 15 February 2022) Head of Government: Chief Minister Lindsay de SAUSMAREZ (since 1 July 2025) Cabinet: none Administrative Divisions: no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US government, but 10 parishes: Castel, Forest, Saint Andrew, Saint Martin, Saint Peter Port, Saint Pierre du Bois, Saint Sampson, Saint Saviour, Torteval, Vale National Holiday: Liberation Day, 9 May (1945) Suffrage: 16 years of age; universal

Legal System

The legal system of Guernsey is described as customary system based on Norman customary law; includes elements of the French civil code and English common law

Constitutional Framework

The constitution has the following history: unwritten; includes royal charters, statutes, and common law and practice Amendment Process: new laws or changes to existing laws are initiated by the States of Deliberation; passage requires majority vote

Judicial Branch

Highest Court(s): Guernsey Court of Appeal (consists of the Bailiff of Guernsey, who is the ex-officio president of the Guernsey Court of Appeal, and at least 12 judges); Royal Court (organized into 3 divisions - Full Court sits with 1 judge and 7 to 12 jurats acting as judges of fact, Ordinary Court sits with 1 judge and normally 3 jurats, and Matrimonial Causes Division sits with 1 judge and 4 jurats) Judge Selection: Royal Court Bailiff, Deputy Bailiff, and Court of Appeal justices appointed by the British Crown and hold office at Her Majesty’s pleasure; jurats elected by the States of Election, a body chaired by the Bailiff and a number of jurats Subordinate Courts: Court of Alderney; Court of the Seneschal of Sark; Magistrates’ Court (includes Juvenile Court); Contracts Court; Ecclesiastical Court; Court of Chief Pleas

Legislative Branch

The legislative structure consists of unicameral Note: note: non-voting members include the bailiff (presiding officer), attorney-general, and solicitor-general

Citizenship and Suffrage

Suffrage: 16 years of age; universal

Historical Background

Guernsey and the other Channel Islands represent the last remnants of the medieval Duchy of Normandy, which held sway in both France and England. The islands were the only British soil that Germany occupied in World War II. The Bailiwick of Guernsey consists of the main island of Guernsey and a number of smaller islands, including Alderney, Sark, Herm, Jethou, Brecqhou, and Lihou. The Bailiwick is a self-governing British Crown dependency that is not part of the UK.

This article provides a summary of the legal system and governmental structure of Guernsey based on the CIA World Factbook. The Factbook is a public domain publication of the United States Central Intelligence Agency.