Stamp Duty (Rates of Duty) Regulation

GRAND COURT (AMENDMENT) BILL, A BILL FOR AN ACT TO AMEND THE GRAND COURT ACT (2015 REVISION) TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS OF THE RULES COMMITTEE OF THE COURT; TO CHANGE THE FREQUENCY OF SESSIONS OF THE COURT; AND FOR INCIDENTAL AND CONNECTED PURPOSES

PUBLISHING DETAILS Sponsoring Ministry/Portfolio: Portfolio of Legal Affairs (PLA)

Objects and Reasons

Memorandum of OBJECTS AND REASONS This Bill amends the Grand Court Act (2015 Revision) (the “principal Act”), to increase the number of members of the Rules Committee of the Court, to change the frequency of sessions of the Court and to provide for incidental and connected purposes. Clause 1 provides for the short title. Clause 2 amends section 2 of the principal Act by repealing and substituting the section heading and by inserting a definition of “Rules Committee”. Clause 3 amends section 19 of the principal Act by increasing the number of members on the Rules Committee. Clause 4 amends section 21 of the principal Act by repealing section 21 and substituting a new section. The proposed new section stipulates that the Court is to convene three sessions a year for civil and criminal trials. The proposed new section also provides that the Chief Justice is to publish, by 1st December of each year, a notice of the dates and times of each session for the following year.

Arrangement of Clauses

Clause

Clause 1

A BILL FOR AN ACT TO AMEND THE GRAND COURT ACT (2015 REVISION) TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS OF THE RULES COMMITTEE OF THE COURT; TO CHANGE THE FREQUENCY OF SESSIONS OF THE COURT; AND FOR INCIDENTAL AND CONNECTED PURPOSES ENACTED by the Legislature of the Cayman Islands. Short title This Act may be cited as the Grand Court (Amendment) Act, 2025. Amendment of section 2 - definitions The Grand Court Act (2015 Revision), in this Act referred to as the “principal Act”, is amended in section 2 as follows — (a) by repealing the section heading and substituting the following section heading — “Interpretation”; (b) by deleting the word “and” after the definition of “Judge”; by deleting the full stop after the definition of “Rules” and substituting the word “; and”; and

Clause 3

(d) by inserting after the definition of the word “Rules”, the following definition — “ “Rules Committee” means the body responsible for making Rules under section 19.”. Amendment of section 19 - Rules Committee and Rules of Court The principal Act is amended in section 19 by repealing subsection (1) and substituting the following subsection — There shall be a Rules Committee which shall consist of — (a) the Chief Justice, who shall be the chairperson; (b) the Attorney General; and not less than two and no more than five persons who are — (i) entitled to practise as legal practitioners before the Court; and (ii) appointed by the Chief Justice after consultation with the Cayman Islands Legal Practitioners Association.”. Repeal and substitution of section 21 - sessions of the Court The principal Act is amended by repealing section 21 and substituting the following section — “Sessions of Court 21.(1) The Court shall convene three sessions a year for the trial of both civil and criminal cases. The Chief Justice, by notice published in the Gazette on or by 1st December of each year, shall give notice of the dates and times of each session for the following year.”. Passed by the Parliament the day of Speaker Clerk of the Parliament