The Court of First Instance of The High Court
It has unlimited jurisdiction in both civil and criminal matters. It also exercises jurisdiction in admiralty, bankruptcy, company winding-up, family, adoption, probate and mental health matters. The most serious criminal offences, such as murder, manslaughter, rape, armed robbery, complex commercial frauds and drug offences involving large quantities, are tried by a judge of the Court of First Instance, sitting with a jury consisting of seven or, when a judge so orders, nine. There are twenty three Judges of the Court of First Instance at present.
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Famous quotes containing the words court, instance and/or high:
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—Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770–1831)
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“By a high star our course is set,
Our end is Life. Put out to sea.”
—Louis MacNeice (1907–1963)