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Sovereignty and Constitution

Jersey is a Bailiwick, an independently-administered area under the jurisdiction of a bailiff. Along with the other Channel Islands, it is a British Crown Dependency but is not part of the United Kingdom.

The Queen communicates with the island through her representative there, the Lieutenant-Governor. He is traditionally a senior member of the armed forces and is also Commander-in-Chief and the Commander of the Armed Forces of the Crown in Jersey.

Jersey is divided into twelve parishes, each with its own officers elected by parishioners - among them Connétables, Centeniers and Vingteniers - for a three year period. The governing body in each parish is called the Assembly of Principals.

The island has its own laws and constitution, with a central legislature called the States Assembly. It is made up of the following people:

• Bailiff
• Lieutenant Governor
• 12 Connétables (one from each parish)
• 12 Senators
• 29 Deputies
• The Dean of Jersey (head of the Anglican church in Jersey)
• Attorney General
• Solicitor General.
  

All have a voice at the Assembly, although only the Senators, Connétables and Deputies can vote, with the Bailiff’s right to have the casting vote withdrawn in 2005.

The Bailiff is appointed by the crown, and presides over the States and the Royal Court, much like the Speaker in the UK Houses of Parliament. The island’s other crown representatives are the Deputy Bailiff, the Dean of Jersey, the Solicitor General and the Attorney General.

The Council of Ministers is led by a Chief Minister, elected by the States Assembly, who is in charge of nine other ministers. They are independent of political parties and are each held responsible for their area of government. The island holds an election every three years.

Senators are elected across the island and serve for six years, with six of the 12 retiring every third year. Connétables (Constables) are elected by their parish and hold office for three years, as do the Deputies who are responsible for the island’s districts.

Jersey's legal system is largely based on Norman law. Minor legal matters are dealt with in each parish by the Centenier, while a Magistrate’s court deals with more serious matters. From here, cases are referred to the Royal Court, which deals in both criminal and civil matters. The Bailiff is the court’s sole judge, assisted by 12 Jurats, chosen by an electoral college.

The official language of the courts and for property transactions is still French. In practise, draft legislature and the language used in the States is now English, however.

While Jersey is not part of the European Union, certain European legislation applies under Protocol 3 to the 1972 Treaty of Accession.

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