History

The Law Officers

The Law Officers are the Attorney General and the Solicitor General. The Attorney General is the senior Law Officer of the Crown. The Solicitor General performs any of the Attorney’s functions as authorised by the Attorney General.

History of the Office of Attorney General

The first Attorney General, Les Procureurs-Généraux de L'Île de Jersey, of whom we have recorded was Guill des Mareys in 1309 and the first Solicitor General, Les Avocats-Généraux de L'Île de Jersey, was Nicolas Triguel in 1535. It is a Crown appointment and by tradition the Attorney General’s term of appointment expires on the holder’s 70th birthday. 

The origins of the Office of Attorney General emanated as a representative of the Crown and representative of the public interest (partie publique). The role has changed over the centuries. In the 19th century the Attorney General was appointed and paid by the Crown and they were responsible to the Crown alone and not to the States Assembly. During this time in disputes between the Crown and the States, such as the Prison Board case in 1891, the Attorney General would appear for the Crown against the States. 

The passing of the Loi (1930) constituant le Departement des Officiers de la Couronne (“Loi 1930”) paved the way for change and since then the role has progressively evolved into what it is today. The Attorney General, and by extension the Solicitor General, have retained their original role as adviser to the Crown and as partie publique but have expanded to include responsibility as adviser to the States. In 1947 the Crown and the States agreed that the salaries of the Crown Officers would now be paid by the States. 

The Attorney General has continued to function as Chief Prosecutor with exclusive responsibility for criminal prosecutions on the Island. Private prosecutions are not a part of Jersey law. The Attorney General’s role as titular head of the Honorary Police has also endured. 

In 2009, an independent review panel was appointed by the States to review the roles of Jersey's Crown Officers. The Panel supported retaining the substance of the roles of both the Attorney General and Solicitor General.

Report into Review of Crown Officers