Jamaican Justice Review Task Force

The Hon. Mr. Justice Seymour Panton

Justice Panton was called to the Bar at lincoln’s Inn, London, England in 1968. Over the two decades he held the following positions: Deputy Clerk of the Courts; Clerk of the Courts; Crown Counsel (Acting) in the Director of Public Prosecutions Office; Legal Assistant to the Attorney General of the Cayman Islands; Senior Counsel, Cayman Islands; Resident Magistrate, Jamaica; Puisne Judge, Jamaica. In 1999 Justice Panton was appointed to the Court of Appeal where he continues to reside. During his tenure as Appeal Judge he has acted on several occasions as a Judge of the Grand Court, Cayman Islands.

Since 1981 Justice Panton has demonstrated a commitment to justice reform and improvement through his membership on various committees including Jamaica’s Bench and Bar Consultative Committee, Association of Resident Magistrates (Vice President), and the Commonwealth Magistrates and Judges Association (representing the Caribbean). He is a long time promoter of Continuing Legal Education presenting several papers on legal and judicial matters at several seminars for Judges, Magistrates and Attorneys-at-law and in his role as an Associate tutor in trail advocacy at the Norman Manley Law School from 1986 to 1993. He has also acted as Examiner for persons sitting the Deputy Clerk of Courts Qualifying Exams (1986-1996).

Justice Panton has been honoured by Rusea’s Old Students’ Association (1990) and the Jamaican Government (2006) for outstanding service to the judiciary and by the Cornwall Bar Association (1995) for outstanding service to the legal profession. In 1990 he was the recipient of a Fulbright grant to participate in the United States International Visitor Programme to observe the American judicial and legislative system at work in several American States.

Back to Jamaican Justice Review Task Force >