Opening of the New Law Year 2026

On Monday, 12th January 2026, the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court will mark the
commencement of the New Law Year with its traditional Ceremonial Opening proceedings under
the theme “The ECSC: Justice that Endures – Anchored in Independence, Strengthened through
Trust. This year, the host Member State is the Commonwealth of Dominica, where the first
scheduled sitting of the Court of Appeal in 2026 will take place.

In St. Christopher & Nevis, the church service will be held at the Wesley Methodist Church,
Seaton Street, Basseterre, St. Kitts on Monday 12th January 2026 at 7:45 a.m. The celebration will
continue with a procession that starts at the Wesley Methodist Church and continues to Church
Street, Liverpool Row, Fort Street, West Indepedence Square Street and concludes at the S. W.
Tapley Seaton Court Annex on East Independence Square Street. The inspection of the Guard of
Honour will be conducted in front of the Charles Amory Building, Fortlands (opposite the War
Memorial/Cenotaph). This will be followed by the Special Sitting at 10:00 a.m.
Unlike in the past four years, there will be simultaneous sittings in the other eight (8) Member
States and Territories of the OECS. The Acting Chief Justice, Her Ladyship the Hon. Mde.
Margaret Price Findlay, will deliver the feature address, appearing live from the Court in the
Commonwealth of Dominica.

The church service will be broadcasted via ZIZ and streamed live via the S.Kitts and Nevis
Information Services (SKNIS) media platforms and social media pages. The Acting Chief Justice’s
address will be streamed live via the S.Kitts and Nevis Information Services (SKNIS). It will also
be live-streamed via the Court’s Website and Facebook Page and UWITV.

The public is encouraged to participate in the Ceremonial Opening of the Law Year 2026 by
attending either the church service or by watching and listening via the various media platforms.
The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) was established in 1967 by the West Indies
Associated States Supreme Court Order No. 223 of 1967. The ECSC is a superior court of record
for the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), including six independent states:
Antigua and Barbuda, the Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint
Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and three British Overseas Territories (Anguilla, British
Virgin Islands, and Montserrat). It has unlimited jurisdiction in each Member State.
To learn more about the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC), please visit our website @
https://www.eccourts.org/ or call us at Tel: 758-457-3600.