How to find Isle of Man and Channel Islands law

19 Jan 2024
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Isle of Man

Constitutional position

The Isle of Man is a dependency of the British Crown, it is not part of the United Kingdom and has its own legislature, the Tynwald.

Legislation

Many acts of the UK Parliament are extended to the Isle of Man by orders in council, issued as UK statutory instruments. Acts passed by the Tynwald must receive royal assent.

Find out more: Isle of Man Statutes from 1417-1970 can be found in library bay 180. Some years are missing:

  • 1825-1894
  • 1916-1920
  • 1925-1941

Acts of Tynwald from 1971- 2016 can be found in library bay 181.

Subject guide to Acts of Tynwald contain alphabetical and chronological lists. They act as a guide to those statutes still in force when the guide was published.

Editions held are:

  • 1776-1975
  • 1984
  • 1992-2000
  • 2003-2004

For acts from 1417-1970, the guide refers to legislation reproduced in the Isle of Man Statutes.

Companies Consolidation Act, 1931 can be found in library bay 180.

See the Isle of Man government website for:

  • acts of Tynwald (as enacted and amended (current))
  • secondary legislation 2001 (as enacted)
  • employment law guides
  • codes of practice
  • database of employment legislation (selected statutes shown as amended)

See the Isle of Man Companies Registry for:

  • company legislation (as amended)
  • information on incorporation and registration

Law reports

Manx Law Reports from 1522 and index can be found in library bay 180

Serials

The Manx Legislation Newsletter is available on the Isle of Man government website.

It contains information on cases, bills, legislation (primary and secondary) and reports.

Useful contacts

Government Bookshop sells copies of Manx legislation but does not provide a service for updating legislation.

Isle of Man Law Society:

Useful websites:

Channel Islands

Constitutional position

The Channel Islands are dependencies of the British Crown but are separate jurisdictions from the United Kingdom.

They are divided into the two Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey.

Each has their own legislature: the States.

Alderney and Sark are dependencies of Guernsey but also have their own legislatures.

Legislation

Occasionally acts of the UK Parliament can be extended to Jersey and Guernsey by express words in the act or, more frequently, by Orders in Council issued as UK Statutory Instruments.

Consent to legislation passed by 'The States' is also given by UK Orders in Council, not issued as UK SIs.

Jersey and Guernsey legislation (made locally) can be found in:

Jersey Statutes

Recueil des Lois library bay 181

  • Volumes I - III 1771-1881 Acts still in force as amended up to 19th December 1968
  • Volumes IV - VI 1882-1928 Acts still in force as amended up to 31st March 1963
  • Volumes VII 1929-1950 Acts still in force as amended up to 30th April 1977
  • 1951 - Single acts as printed.

The full text of Jersey laws in force, in separate original and updated versions, is available on the Jersey Legal Information Board.

The Jersey Companies Registry has the required application forms, fees, guidance notes, and legislation.

Guernsey

The library does not hold any legislation made in Guernsey.

Original and updated Guernsey legislation can be found on the Guernsey Legal Resources website.

Law Reports

Judgments of the Royal Court of Jersey and of the Court of Appeal of Jersey from 1950-84 can be found in library bay 182.

Jersey Law Reports from1985 can be found in library bay 182.

Jersey Law Reports from 1961-2016 are also on Jersey Legal Information Board website.

Guernsey Law Reports from 2003 to the first part of 2011 are on the Guernsey Legal Resources website.

Serials

Guernsey Law Journal 1985-2000 contains:

  • summaries of legislation and cases
  • selected Guernsey Court of Appeal judgments from 1993

These are in storage (24 hours notice required), please ask staff.

Jersey Law Review 1997-2006 (Jersey & Guernsey Law Review 2007) can be found in library bay 182.

Jersey Law Review is also available from 1999 on the Jersey Legal Information Board website.

Useful contacts

Jersey Law Society: 01534 613920

States of Guernsey: 01481 717000

The Greffe, Royal Court House, Guernsey: 01481 725277

Guernsey Bar Association: 01481 727272

Useful websites

Channel Islands and Isle of Man: relationship with the EU

None of these smaller UK jurisdictions are members of the European Union.

Their relationship with the EU is governed by articles 25-27 and protocol 3 of the UK's Act of Accession

Refer to Documents concerning the accessions to the European Communities (1987).

Call: 020 7320 5946

Email: library@lawsociety.org.uk

Fax: 020 7831 1687

Website: www.lawsociety.org.uk