Supreme Court of Vanuatu

Supreme Court of Vanuatu
JurisdictionCivil matters, Criminal matters, Constitutional matters
LocationPort Vila
Authorized byConstitution of Vanuatu
Appeals toCourt of Appeal
Appeals fromMagistrate's Courts
Number of positions4; one Chief Justice, three puisne judges
Websitehttps://courts.gov.vu/about-us/supreme-court
Chief Justice
CurrentlyVincent Lunabek
Since2001

Supreme Court of Vanuatu is the superior court of Vanuatu and is based in Port Vila. The Court consists of the Chief Justice and three puisne judges.

Appeals from the Supreme Court are heard by the Court of Appeal of Vanuatu, which is the supreme appellate court in the country. The Court of Appeal is constituted from time to time as the need arises.

With the exception of the Chief Justice, all members of the judiciary are appointed by the President of Vanuatu, who acts on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission, pursuant to Article 47(2) of the Constitution of Vanuatu). The Chief Justice is appointed by the President after consultation with the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition, pursuant to Article 49(3) of the Constitution.[1]

The present Chief Justice of the Court is Vincent Lunabek.[2]

  1. ^ "Vanuatu Magistrates Bench Book" (PDF). Pacific Judicial Education Programme. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  2. ^ Dinnen, Sinclair (November 2010). A Kind of Mending: Restorative Justice in the Pacific Islands. ANU E Press. p. 105. ISBN 978-1-921666-82-7. Retrieved 14 July 2011.