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Legal Practitioners Ordinance

LAWS OF PITCAIRN, HENDERSON, DUCIE AND OENO ISLANDS

Revised Edition 2001

CHAPTER X

Ordinances:
No.3 of 2001

An ordinance to make provision for the admission of legal practitioners

[9th March 2001]

Short title.

1. This ordinance may be cited as the Legal Practitioners Ordinance.

Interpretation.

2. In this ordinance unless the context otherwise requires—

certificate of admission means a certificate of entitlement to practise law in the Islands approved by the Chief Justice under section 5;

legal practitioner means a barrister or solicitor;

practising certificate means a current certificate issued by the appropriate authority in any Commonwealth country entitling the holder to act as a legal practitioner in that country.

Restriction upon legal practitioners.

3. No person shall act or hold himself or herself out as entitled to act as a legal practitioner in the Islands without being the holder of a valid certificate of admission.
Penalty: a fine of $1000.00 or imprisonment for six months or both.

Persons eligible to apply for certificate.

4.—(1) Subject to this section, any person holding a practising certificate may, upon proof thereof, apply in writing to the Registrar of the Supreme Court to be admitted to practise as a legal practitioner.

(2) Every such application shall include a summary of the applicant's qualifications and experience together with any other information as may be relevant to his or her fitness to practise law in the Islands.

(3) The Registrar may obtain any such further information as may be required from the applicant or any other person or body.

Approval of application by Chief Justice.

5.—(1) The application of any person under section 4 shall then be submitted to the Chief Justice who shall in his or her absolute discretion decide whether or not the application should be approved.

(2) If the Chief Justice shall indicate his or her approval of an application, a certificate of admission shall thereupon be granted by the Registrar under the seal of the Supreme Court.

(3) Every certificate of admission shall be issued to the applicant upon payment of such fee as the Governor may by order prescribe. On each anniversary thereof the applicant shall pay an annual practising fee as shall be prescribed by the Governor by order.

Power of Chief Justice to revoke certificate.

6. The Chief Justice shall have power at any time upon good cause shown to revoke the certificate of admission granted to any person under section 5.