Opening of the New Law Year 2026
On Monday, 12th January 2026, the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court will mark the commencement of the New Law Year with its traditional Ceremonial Opening proceedings under the theme “The ECSC: Justice that Endures – Anchored in Independence, Strengthened through Trust. This year, the host Member State is the Commonwealth of Dominica, where the first scheduled sitting of the Court of Appeal in 2026 will take place.
In Antigua and Barbuda the Ceremonial Opening will commence with a church service at the St. John’s Anglican Cathedral on Monday 12th January 2026 at 8 am followed by the procession to the High Courtof Judiciary and Attorneyswhere the inspection of the Guard of Honour will be conducted. The Special Sitting of the High Court will be convened at 10 am immediately following the inspection of the Guard. The Acting Chief Justice, Her Ladyship the Hon. Mde. Margaret Price Findlay, will deliver the feature address, appearing live from the Court in the Commonwealth of Dominica.
The Acting Chief Justice’s address will be streamed live to the other Member States and Territories via the Commonwealth of Dominica Information Services media platforms and social media pages to the other Member States and Territories of the OECS. It will also be live-streamed via the Court’s Website and Facebook Page, the websites and social media pages of the Government Information Services in each Member State and Territory and UWITV.
The public is encouraged to participate in the Ceremonial Opening of the Law Year 2026 by attending either the church service or the Special Sitting, or by watching and listening via the various media platforms.
The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) was established in 1967 by the West Indies Associated States Supreme Court Order No. 223 of 1967. The ECSC is a superior court of record for the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), including six independent states: Antigua and Barbuda, the Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and three British Overseas Territories (Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, and Montserrat). It has unlimited jurisdiction in each Member State.
To learn more about the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC), please visit our website @ https://www.eccourts.org/ or call us at Tel: 758-457-3600.
