Bailiff of Jersey

Bailiff of Jersey
since 17 October 2019
AppointerMonarch of the United Kingdom,
at the recommendation of the Jersey Government
Term lengthAt His Majesty's Pleasure, at least until retirement (70)
FormationAt least 1204
First holderPhilippe L'Evesque (first attested)
DeputyDeputy Bailiff of Jersey

The Bailiff of Jersey (French: Le Bailli de Jersey) is the civic head of the Bailiwick of Jersey. In this role, he is not the head of government nor the head of state, but the chief justice of Jersey and presiding officer of Jersey's parliament, the States Assembly. The Bailiff is also the President of the Royal Court. It is similar in role to the Bailiff of Guernsey.

Sir Michael Birt (Bailiff from 2009 to 2015) with sculpture of Lord Coutanche (Bailiff 1935–1962) behind.

The position of Bailiff was created shortly after the Treaty of Paris 1259 in which the king of England, Henry III, gave up claim to all of the Duchy of Normandy but the Channel Islands. In 1290, separate bailiffs for Jersey and Guernsey were appointed.

  1. ^ Heath, Richard (17 October 2019). "New Bailiff sworn in". www.jerseyeveningpost.com. Retrieved 17 October 2019.