Office Hours
- Morning Hours:- 8:30am – 12:30pm .
- Afternoon Hours:- 1:30pm – 3:30pm .
Office closes: during lunch breaks, weekends and public holidays.
Contact us:
- Phone number: 7400831 (for all enquiries)
- Email address: helpdesk@justice.gov.to
The Supreme Court has jurisdiction to hear all cases arising under the Constitution and the Laws of the Kingdom except those cases concerning titles to land which are within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Land Court (clause 90 of the Constitution). It also hears appeals from the Magistrate’s Court (section 74 of the Magistrate’s Court Act).
Appeals from decisions of the Supreme Court are made to the Court of Appeal.
The Judges of the Supreme Court are appointed by His Majesty in Privy Council (clause 86 of the Constitution).
The Supreme Court Judges are presently appointed for fixed terms. They hold office during good behavior (clause 87 of the Constitution).
The Judges in the Supreme Court are:
- Lord Chief Justice Hon. Michael H. Whitten QC
- Justice Niu
- Justice Cooper
The Supreme Court sits at Nuku’alofa but also undertakes circuits to the Outer Islands.
The Supreme Court’s workload broadly covers the following areas (referred to as divisions) namely:
- Criminal;
- Civil;
- Appellate (from the Magistrate’s Court including civil and criminal cases);
- Family (including custody and access, divorce, adoptions and wedlock applications); and
- Estate Administration.
About This Site
This is the official website for the Ministry of Justice, Tonga.
Find Us
Address
Corner of Lavinia and Kausela Road, Nuku’alofa, Tonga.
Opening Hours
Monday—Friday: 8:30AM–4:30PM
Saturday, Sunday&Public Holiday: CLOSE
IMPORTANT LINKS
CONTACT DETAILS
- Phone number: (+676)7400800 or (+676)7400810
- Email Address: helpdesk@justice.gov.to
Court Fees
2019 Supreme Court Judgments
- AM3-19 Rosic v Jones
- AM7-19 Laiseni v Lafo’ou
- AM10-19 Tangulu v Taukolo
- CR162 of 2018 Rex v ‘Ealelei
- CR 158-18 Sentencing – 10 May 2019
- CR7-18 Verdict – 31 May 2019
- CR30-2018 Verfict – 11 March 2019
- CR55-2018 Record of Verdict – 06 February 2019
- CR70-19 Ruling before Trial – 25 June 2019
- CR70-19 Verdict – 3 July 2019
- CR77-19 Sentencing – 14 June 2019
- CR78-19 Verdict – 20 June 2019
- CR102-2018 Judgment – 09 January 2019
- CR143-19 Sentencing – 22 March 2019
- CR163-166 of 2018 Sentence – 13 February 2019
- CV12-2018 Vailahi v KOT & Lolohea v KOT
- CV13-2018 Ruling 8 February 2019
- CV55-18 Ruling – 29 January 2019
- CV55-2018 Ruling 22 February 2019
- Practice Direction 1 of 2019
- PD 3 of 2003 Tonga Law Report
- PD 2 of 2014 Certificate of Conviction and Sentence
- Practice Direction 1 of 2017
- PD 4 of 2003 Counsels Costs
- PD 3 of 2007 Registrar General Application for registration of birth while mother still in wedlock
- PD 1 of 2012 Section 14 of the Probate and Administration Act Cap 16
- PD 2 of 2012 Reclassification of Dormant Proceedings
- PD 1 of 1994 Senior Counsel
- PD 2 of 1990 Appeals – transcript of proceedings
- PD 1 of 1991 Trial of related charges RE-TYPED
- PD 1 of 1992 Criminal Jurisdiction Submission of No Case To Answer
- PD 7 of 1995 Enrolment of Persons as Law Practitioners the Law Practitioners Act 1989
- PD 3 of 1993 Case Numbers
- PD 1 of 2010 Indictment
- PD 2 of 2011 Change or Withdrawal of Lawyers
- PD 2 of 2013 BAIL
- PD 5 of 2014 Service of Process on the Kingdom
- PD 4 of 2014 Custody and Access Applications
- PD 3 of 2014 SurrendernRetention and Return of Passports
- Supreme Court Civil and Land Case Management Procedure – 17 Feb 16 (1)
- PD 1 of 2015 Attire for the Supreme Court Land Court and Court of Appeal of Tonga
- PD 3 of 1992 Application for Letters of Adoption
- PD 1 of 2014 Married woman registering an Illegitimate child
- Supreme Court Email Policy 26 July 2016 (1)
- PD 1 of 2008 Supreme Court Case File Prefixes
- Information for self represented accused on trial process – MHW – 11.12.19
- Tonga Supreme Court Disability Policy