The establishment of the High Court of Kiribati is codified under s80 of the Constitution of Kiribati and comprises of the Chief Justices and other Judges appointed under the Constitution. It has been prescribed that the number of Judges in the High Court must not less than 2 or more than 5 under s3 of the Act to Prescribe the Number of Judges of the High Court, Their Appointment, Salaries, Allowances and Other Connected Purposes.
Currently, the High Court has 2 Judges and 1 Commissioner which includes the Chief Justice, Puisne Judge and Commissioner who is also the Chief Registrar of the Kiribati Judiciary.
The names are;
1. William Hastings (Chief Justice)
2. David Lambourne (Puisne Judge)
3. Abuera Uruaaba (Commissioner)
The appointments of the Judges and Commissioner are also prescribed under the Constitution. The High Court sitting takes place every day based on the Judge’s schedules and they preside over land, civil and criminal appeals and reviews from the Magistrates Courts and first instance cases in criminal and civil.
