Nauru has established a Court of Appeal to replace links with the High Court of Australia following the cessation of links to Australia’s highest court.
The constitutional amendment which gave rise to the creation of the court which sits at the apex of Nauru’s judicial system came into effect in May this year.
New rules governing the conduct of appeals were published last week by the President of the Court of Appeal, the Chief Justice of Nauru, Hon. Filimone Jitoko.
Other members of the court who remain to be sworn into office include Sir Albert Palmer (Chief Justice of Solomon Islands), Sir John Muria (Chief Justice of Kiribati) and Hon. Vincent Lunabek (Chief Justice of Vanuatu).
The new court of appeal is expected to be fully functional by October this year.
In moving the motion to create the new court in Parliament last year, the President of Nauru H.E Baron Waqa MP said at the time that the changes to the judicial structure were an affirmation of the country’s sovereignty and maturity as a nation.
Nauru celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of its independence in January this year.
Justice Minister David Adeang in welcoming the establishment of the court said, “It is an exciting chapter in the history of Nauru. The appointment of eminent regional judges of standing reinforces Nauru’s commitment to an independent and competent judiciary.
“Having a court that will sit in country will make access to justice a lot easier and cheaper for litigants. That is something we encourage.”