Judiciary
The court system in the Federation had its origin in the 1807 charter known as the First Charter of Justice whereby the British East India Company obtained from the British Crown the right to establish a permanent Court of Judicature in the settlement of Penang. This was followed by the appointment of the first Supreme Court judge designated as the 'Recorder' and Sir Edmond Stanley assumed office as the First Recorder of the Supreme Court of Penang in 1808. At the same time, Sir Stamford Raffles, the founder of Singapore, was the first registrar of the Supreme Court. The designation 'Judge' was subsequently substituted for that of 'Recorder'. The Supreme Court of Penang was first housed at Fort Cornwallis and was opened on 31 May 1808.
Today, the judicial power is almost completely vested in the federal court system. The Supreme Court Building in Light Street and Farquhar Street houses the Penang registry of the High Court in Malaya as well as the George Town Sessions Court and Magistrates courts. The Penang Prison is located at Gaol Road.
Read more about this topic: Governance And Law Of Penang
Famous quotes containing the word judiciary:
“The judiciary has fallen to a very low state in this country. I think your part of the country has suffered especially. The federal judges of the South are a disgrace to any country, and I’ll be damned if I put any man on the bench of whose character and ability there is the least doubt.”
—William Howard Taft (1857–1930)