A deemster () is a judge in the Isle of Man. The High Court of Justice of the Isle of Man is presided over by a deemster or, in the case of the appeal division of that court, a deemster and the Judge of Appeal. The deemsters also promulgate the Laws on Tynwald Day by reading out brief summaries of them in English and Manx. In the past, the First and Second Deemsters had ex officio seats in the Legislative Council of the Isle of Man.
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The Isle of Man's highest judicial officers, the Deemsters, participate in the ceremony, wearing scarlet robes and long wigs. There are currently three Deemsters, including the First and Second Deemster. Their office is of great antiquity, as is reflected by the curious phraseology of their ancient oath, during which they promise to "execute the laws of this isle justly … betwixt party and party, as indifferently as the herring's backbone doth lie in the midst of the fish." Some individuals are invited to attend as Guests of Honour.
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The First Deemster, Second Deemster and Judge of Appeal are appointed by, and hold office during the pleasure of, the Lord of MannHigh Court Act 1991 s.3A (acting on the advice of the UK's Secretary of State for Justice). Additional Deemsters are appointed by the Lieutenant Governor on the recommendation of the First Deemster.High Court Act 1991 s.
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When a vacancy arose the remaining members selected the replacement member. In general, membership of the Keys passed down through the leading families on the island. In the 16th century the Keys met irregularly. They were akin to a jury which was summoned from time to time by the Lord of Mann or by the deemsters when they required advice as to the law.
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3B As ex officio Deputy Governor, the First Deemster acts in place of the Lieutenant Governor in the latter's absence, or during a vacancy in that office. Unlike judges in the United Kingdom, Deemsters have no security of tenure and thus have no legal protection against dismissal by the government. The appointment and removal of Manx judges on the formal advice of United Kingdom politicians is seen as an effective alternative.
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Christian's paternal ancestors were descended from the Cumberland family of deemsters, or judges, on the Isle of Man. One of his notable ancestors was Fletcher Christian, a participant in the mutiny on the Bounty. Fletcher was one of the mutineers who in 1790, settled on Pitcairn Island and established an isolated community. Christian's father, Henry Bailey Christian, a veteran of the 1846 Xhosas War, was a successful farmer and merchant and a prominent public figure.
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Future Cutlet was run off the track by Wembley Spring Cup champion Goopy Gear but the klaxon was heard and Goopy Gear was disqualified. Future Cutlet duly qualified from the re-run, behind Silver Seal II in 30.29. Welsh representative Beef Cutlet won by 13 lengths in the fastest first round time of 29.81. Two semi-finals were now held instead of three and Wild Woolley won the first by 4 lengths from Roving Loafer with Deemsters Mike finishing third.
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One year later in 1934 Greenfield was represented by a greyhound called Deemsters Mike in the English Greyhound Derby final. The brindle dog trained by Fred Livesly also went on to win the Northern Flat. The track was described as a well laid out course with a good run-in to the finish and suitable for all types of runners. There was an 'Outside Sumner' hare and race distances of 310, 500, 650 and 700 yards on a circuit with a 420-yard circumference.
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The judges of the High Court are the deemsters, appointed by the Queen (acting on the advice of the Secretary of State for Justice in the United Kingdom), and the judicial officers, appointed by the Lieutenant Governor. The High Bailiff and the Deputy High Bailiff are ex officio judicial officers, and additional judicial officers (full-time or part-time) may be appointed.High Court Act 1991 s.3C Civil matters are usually heard at first instance by a single deemster sitting in the High Court.
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Defending champion Wild Woolley and Future Cutlet would both return for the 1933 competition and were both expected to go well again. Future Cutlet's half- brother Beef Cutlet (the Laurels and Welsh Greyhound Derby champion) was the third greyhound considered a serious contender. He had recently won the Hunt Cup at Blackpool Greyhound Stadium by eight lengths and actually covered 500 yards in 26.13 sec. Wild Woolley won his opening heat in 30.14 and Deemsters Mike trained by Fred Livesly took the next heat in 30.35.
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Standard of the lieutenant governor The Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man ( or Lhiass-chiannoort Vannin) is the British monarch's official personal representative in the Isle of Man. He has the power to grant royal assent and is styled "His Excellency". In recent times the governor has been either a retired diplomat or a senior military officer. No Manx-born person has ever been appointed lieutenant governor, although Manx-born first deemsters (ex officio deputy governors) have taken on the role temporarily during an interregnum between governors, and during periods when the lieutenant governor is off-island.
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The Second Deemster was removed from the Council in 1965Isle of Man Constitution (Amendment) Act 1965 and the First Deemster in 1975.Isle of Man Constitution (Amendment) Act 1975 There are currently (2017) three full-time Deemsters. These are the First Deemster and Clerk of the Rolls (who is also the Deputy Governor), the Second Deemster, and an additional full-time Deemster. The offices of First Deemster, Second Deemster and Clerk of the Rolls are ancient offices. The offices of First Deemster and Clerk of the Rolls were combined in 1918,Judicature (Amendment) Act 1918; see now High Court Act 1991 s.3A(6).
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The Staff of Government Division of the High Court of Justice (usually shorted to Staff of Government Division) is the Court of Appeal in the Isle of Man. It hears all appeals, both criminal and civil, from the High Court. It is the second highest court in the Isle of Man with final appeal going to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council acting as 'The Queen in Council'. The judges of the Staff of Government Division are the First Deemster and Clerk of the Rolls, the Second Deemster, the Judge of Appeal and any other English Queen's Counsel who are appointed as acting deemsters to hear an appeal.
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The name Staff of Government comes from the original court of appeal on the Island, which consisted of the officers of the Lord of Mann, and later the officers of the Lieutenant Governor. The Judicature Act 1883 created the High Court of Justice, and replaced the Lieutenant Governor's officers with the two deemsters who acted as judges in the courts of first instance, and the Clerk of the Rolls. However, this left the Lieutenant Governor continuing to act as judge despite lacking any legal training. He was removed by the Judicature (Amendment) Act 1921, following the addition of an additional independent judge, in the form of an English Queen's Counsel as Judge of Appeal, by the Judicature (Amendment) Act 1918.
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In the cases of Charles Stanley (1702) and Bishop Isaac Barrow (1774) this prerogative was specifically granted; however over time it became common custom amongst successive lieutenant governors. This would allow governors to appoint deputies for specific periods or purposes, such as during the governor's absence on specified occasions, or during his illness when not absent; the list below illustrates this and shows the great number of appointments made by governors of deputies during their absence. For instance the various appointments of Deemsters McYlrea and Taubman can be seen as examples of appointments for executing judicial functions. Before the Act of Revestment, deputies were expressly appointed to act during absence, except in one case: that of Bishop Isaac Barrow in 1664.
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The path is strewn with rushes; the tradition is traceable to the Celtic custom of propitiating the sea god Manannan by offering bundles of rushes on Midsummer's Eve. The path is lined with numerous flagpoles, which fly both the red national flag and the blue parliamentary flag. The first procession includes clergymen and certain government officials. The second procession, known as the Tynwald Court Procession, follows; in order, it comprises the officers of the House of Keys, the members of the House of Keys, the Chief Minister of the Isle of Man, the Speaker of the House of Keys, a messenger of the House of Keys, officers of the Legislative Council, members of the Legislative Council, the Attorney General, the Deemsters, the Bishop of Sodor and Man, the President of Tynwald and a messenger of the Legislative Council.
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Comparison can be made with other parliaments in the British Isles of a similar period: the oldest recorded in England was from 1229, in Scotland 1424, and in Ireland 1216 – although again there were prior laws that are now merely part of the unwritten common law of each country. The opening statement of the Statute Book was "Divers Ordinances, Statutes, and Customs, presented, reputed, and used for Laws in the Land of Mann, that were ratified, approved, and confirmed, as well by the Honourable Sir John Stanley, Knight, King and Lord of the same Land, and divers others his Predecessors, as by all Barons, Deemsters, Officers, Tenants, Inhabitants, and Commons of the same Land where the Lord's Right is declared in the following Words" Furthermore, the Commissioners' report noted that prior to the revestment, no "minutes or journals" of the proceedings of the Council or the House of Keys had been kept.
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