The Supreme Court of Cocos (Keeling) Island is one of the highest courts for the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, a territory of Australia. The court was originally established in 1958 after the British Government transferred sovereignty for the island from Singapore to Australia. The court had jurisdiction to deal with all serious crimes and major civil claims for damages occurring on the Island.
Judges from Australian courts were appointed to be judges of the court. Those judges would travel to the island to hear, consider and determine cases. In 1992 courts in Western Australia were given concurrent authority to deal with cases on the Island, and those courts have now become the only venue in which litigation is conducted. The Court does not now actually decide cases, as the court will be abolished once the last appointed judge retires.
Read more about Supreme Court Of Cocos (Keeling) Island: Background To Establishment of Court, Establishment of The Court, Notable Cases, Reform, Abolition of The Court, Judges of The Court
Famous quotes containing the words supreme, court and/or island:
“If happiness, then, is activity expressing virtue, it is reasonable for it to express the supreme virtue, which will be the virtue of the best thing.”
—Aristotle (384–322 B.C.)
“I know one husband and wife who, whatever the official reasons given to the court for the break up of their marriage, were really divorced because the husband believed that nobody ought to read while he was talking and the wife that nobody ought to talk while she was reading.”
—Vera Brittain (1893–1970)
“We approached the Indian Island through the narrow strait called “Cook.” He said, “I ‘xpect we take in some water there, river so high,—never see it so high at this season. Very rough water there, but short; swamp steamboat once. Don’t paddle till I tell you, then you paddle right along.” It was a very short rapid. When we were in the midst of it he shouted “paddle,” and we shot through without taking in a drop.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)