Chief Justice of Belize explained

Post:	Chief Justice
Body:	Belize
Incumbent:	Louise Blenman
Incumbentsince:	2 September 2022
Department:	Supreme Court of Belize Office of the Chief Justice
Style:	The Honourable Madam Chief Justice
Status:	Chief Justice, head of the Supreme Court of Belize
Member Of:	Supreme Court of Belize
Seat:	Supreme Court Building, Belize City, Belize, Central America
Nominator:	Prime Minister
Appointer:	Governor General
Termlength:	No set term, though retirement is mandatory at age 65.
Constituting Instrument:	Constitution of Belize
Inaugural:	Robert Temble
Formation:	1843

The chief justice of Belize is the head of the Supreme Court of Belize. Under Chapter 7 of the Constitution of Belize, the chief justice is appointed by the Governor-General on the advice of the prime minister.^[1]

Since the retirement of Kenneth Benjamin in March 2020, Michelle Arana was the acting chief justice of Belize.^[2] Louise Blenman was appointed to fill the vacancy in September 2022.^[3]

List of chief justices

The full list as published by the attorney general of Belize:^[4]

1. Robert Temple Esq., 1843–1861

British Honduras (1862-1973)

1. Richard J. Connor, 1862
2. William Alexander Parker, 1875–1881
3. Sir Henry Rawlins Pipon Schooles, 1881 (later Administrator of Grenada, 1887 and Attorney General of Jamaica, 1896)
4. William Anthony Musgrave Sheriff, 1883–1886
5. Sir William Meigh Goodman, 1886–1889
6. Sir William John Anderson, 1890–1900 (afterwards Chief Justice of Trinidad and Tobago, 1900)
7. Sir Walter Llewellyn Lewis, 1900–1906
8. Frederic Mackenzie Maxwell, 1906–1911 (afterwards Chief Justice of the Leeward Islands, 1912)
9. Sir Walter Sidney Shaw, 1912–1914
10. Sir Robert Blair Roden, 1915–1921
11. Herbert Kortright McDonnell Sisnett, 1922–1931
12. Charles Wilton Wood Greenidge, 1932–1936
13. Sir Arthur Kirwan Agar, 1936–1940
14. Sir Carleton George Langley, 1940–1947
15. Frederick Malcolm Boland, 1948–1949
16. Sir Alfred Victor Crane, 1950–1954
17. Erskine Rueul La Tourette Ward, 1955–1957
18. Sir Clifford De Lisle Inniss, 1957–1972

Belize (1973–)

1. Arthur Richard Franklin Dickson, 1973–1974
2. Sir Denis Eustace Gilbert Malone, 1974–1979
3. Albert L. Staine, CBE, 1979–1982
4. George C. R. Moe, QC, 1982–1985
   • George N. Brown, acting 1985–1986
5. Taufik Cotran, CBE, 1986–1990
6. Sir George N. Brown, 1990–1998
7. George Singh, 1998
8. Manuel Sosa, CBE, SC, 1998–1999
   • John Troadio Gonzalez, acting 1999–2000
9. Dr. Abdulai Osman Conteh, 2000–2010^[5]
   • Samuel Awich, acting 2010–2011
10. Kenneth Benjamin, 2011^[6] -2020
    • Michelle Arana, acting 2020-2022
11. Louise Blenman, 2022^[7] -Present

Notes and References

1. Web site: Structure, composition, and jurisdiction. Government of Belize. 2012-04-19. https://archive.today/20120802131351/http://www.belize.gov.bz/ct.asp?xItem=691&ctNode=566&mp=27. 2012-08-02. dead.
2. Web site: Parks. Rowland A.. 21 March 2020. Supreme Court Justice Michelle Arana will act as Chief Justice. 2020-09-19. Amandala.
3. Web site: New Chief Justice of Belize Louise Blenman sworn in . 2 September 2022 .
4. Web site: Chief Justices of Belize, 1843 to 2000. Attorney General of Belize. 2012-04-19. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120204121958/http://www.belizelaw.org/supreme_court/justices.html. 2012-02-04.
5. News: The end of an era: Chief Justice Dr. Abdulai Conteh retires. Aaron. Humes. Amandala. 2010-01-10. 2012-04-18.
6. News: Trapp. Adele. 2011-07-29. Guyanese jurist, Kenneth Benjamin, 56, to succeed Conteh. Amandala. dead. 2012-04-18. https://web.archive.org/web/20130317031124/http://www.amandala.com.bz/index.php?id=11500. 2013-03-17.
7. News: Humes. Aaron. 2022-06-23. Government identifies new Chief Justice of Belize.