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Powers

When a right of appeal lies to the Judicial Committee, it is regarded as the final court of appeal, and generally has the power to reverse the decision of the lower court in the country from which the case was referred.

The Judicial Committee is empowered to hear every kind of case: international, constitutional, civil or criminal. Over the years, rulings have been made in different kinds of law from many countries, including:

  • Roman Dutch law from South Africa, British Guyana and Salome
  • Spanish law from Trinidad
  • pre-revolutionary French law from Quebec
  • the Napoleonic code from Mauritius
  • old Sardinian law from Malta
  • Venetian law from the Ionian islands
  • medieval Norman law from the Channel Islands
  • acts of the Oireachtas from the Irish Free State
  • Muslim, Buddhist and Hindu law from India
  • Ottoman law from Turkey, Cyprus and Egypt
  • Chinese law from British courts in Shanghai
  • tribal law from Africa