 Country name:
conventional long form: Bailiwick of Jersey conventional short form:Jersey
Dependency status:
British crown dependency
Government type:
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
name:Saint Heliergeographic coordinates:49 11 N, 2 06 W time difference:UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time:+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
none (British crown dependency); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 12 parishes; Grouville, Saint Brelade, Saint Clement, Saint Helier, Saint John, Saint Lawrence, Saint Martin, Saint Mary, Saint Ouen, Saint Peter, Saint Saviour, and Trinity
Independence:
none (British crown dependency)
National holiday:
Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)
Constitution:
unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice (2013)
Legal system:
the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply; local statutes
Suffrage:
16 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state:Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Lieutenant Governor Sir John MCCOLL (since 26 September 2011)head of government:Chief Minister Ian GORST (18 December 2011); Bailiff Michael BIRT (since 9 July 2009) cabinet:Cabinet (since December 2005) elections:ministers of the Cabinet including the chief minister are elected by the Assembly of States; the monarchy is hereditary; lieutenant governor and bailiff appointed by the monarch
Legislative branch:
unicameral Assembly of the States of Jersey (58 seats; 53 are voting members, of which 12 are senators elected for six-year terms, 12 are constables or heads of parishes elected for three-year terms, 29 are deputies elected for three-year terms; the 5 non-voting members include the bailiff and the deputy bailiff, the Dean of Jersey, the Attorney General, and the Solicitor General appointed by the monarch)elections:last held on 27 April 2011 (next to be held in 2014) election results:percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 53; note - starting with the 2014 elections, the number of Senators will be reduced to 8
| | Judicial branch:
highest court(s):Jersey Court of Appeal (consists of the bailiff, deputy bailiff, and 12 judges and organized into Heritage, Family, Probate, and Civil and Criminal Divisions); Royal Court (consists of the bailiff, deputy bailiff, 6 commissioners - part-time judges, and NA lay people referred to as jurats)judge selection and term of office:Jersey Court of Appeal bailiffs and judges appointed by the Crown upon the advice of the Secretary of State for Justice; bailiffs and judges appointed for extent of good behavior; Royal Court bailiffs appointed by the Crown upon the advice of the Secretary of State for Justice; commissioners appointed by the bailiff; jurats appointed by the Electoral College; bailiffs and commissioners appointed for extent of good behavior; jurats appointed until retirement at age 72 subordinate courts:Magistrate's Court; Youth Court; Petty Debts Court; Parish Hall Enquires (a process of preliminary investigation into youth and minor adult offenses to determine need for presentation before a court)
Political parties and leaders:
Institute of Directors, Jersey branch (provides business support)Jersey Hospitality Association [Robert JONES] (trade association) Jersey Rights Association [David ROTHERHAM] (human rights) La Societe Jersiaise (education and conservation group) Progress Jersey [Daren O'TOOLE, Gino RISOLI] (human rights) Royal Jersey Agriculture and Horticultural Society or RJA&HS (development and management of the Jersey breed of cattle) Save Jersey's Heritage (protects heritage through building preservation)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
name:'Isle de Siez Nous' (Island Home)lyrics/music:Gerard LE FEUVRE note:adopted 2008; serves as a local anthem; as a British crown dependency, 'God Save the Queen' is official (see United Kingdom) |