Record groups of Department of Nationa Archives

Supreme Court of Ceylon

Identity area

Type of entity

Corporate body

Authorized form of name

Supreme Court of Ceylon

Parallel form(s) of name

Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules

Other form(s) of name

Identifiers for corporate bodies

Description area

Dates of existence

1803-1949

History

The Supreme Court of Judicature in Ceylon was originally constituted by the Charter of April 18, 1801. It consisted of a Chief Justice and one Puisne Justice. The Supreme Court was vested, with criminal jurisdiction throughout the Maritime Provinces. It was also given Civil jurisdiction over all persons within the Town and Fort of Colombo and over all Europeans in Ceylon.
The Charter of August 9, 1810 extended the Civil and Criminal Jurisdiction of the Supreme Court over the entire Island covering all inhabitants namely Europeans and Ceylonese.
The Administration of Justice Law No.44 of 1973, empowered the Supreme Court to exercise its jurisdiction the law, affirm, reverse or vary any judgment or order, or give directions to any subordinate court, or order a re.trial or a further hearing. It may, if necessary receive and admit new evidence additional to, or supplementary of, the evidence already taken in any subordinate Court. It could also issue mandates in the nature of Writs.
The Supreme Court, on applications made, could inspect and examine the records of any subordinate court and in the exercise of its revisionary powers, make any order that the interests of justice may require.
The Jurisdiction of the Supreme Court can be exercised in different matters at the same time by several judges of the Court sitting separately.

Places

Legal status

Functions, occupations and activities

Mandates/sources of authority

Internal structures/genealogy

General context

Relationships area

Control area

Description identifier

LK-NA/DCC

Institution identifier

LK-NA

Rules and/or conventions used

ISAAR

Status

Final

Level of detail

Minimal

Dates of creation, revision and deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

  • Latin

Sources

Maintenance notes