Michael Birt (Bailiff of Jersey)

For other people of the same name, see Michael Birt .

Mr Michael Birt (born 25 August 1948) is the 88th Bailiff of Jersey in the Channel Islands.

Michael Birt pictured at a ceremonial function in 2011

Michael Cameron St John Birt was educated in Jersey at St. Michael's Preparatory School then at Marlborough College.

He went on to read law at Magdalene College, Cambridge. He was called to the English Bar in 1970 and practiced as a barrister at 2 Crown Office Row for five years.^[1] He then returned to Jersey and qualified at the Jersey Bar in 1977.^[2] From 1976 to 1993 he was in private practice with the Jersey law firm Ogier & Le Cornu.

In January 1994 he was appointed as HM Attorney General for Jersey. In February 2000, he became Deputy Bailiff.

In July 2009, he was appointed Bailiff, in succession to Sir Philip Bailhache.^[3] A group of protestors demonstrated outside Birt's swearing-in ceremony in the Royal Court of Jersey, angry about decisions not to bring more prosecutions following investigations into child abuse in Jersey.^[4] As Bailiff of Jersey, Birt is an ex officio member of the Guernsey Court of Appeal.

Honours

Birt was appointed a QC learned in the law of Jersey in 1995.

References

1. ^ http://www.jerseycourts.je/about/jerseys-judiciary/bailiff/
2. ^ Who's Who (London: A & C Black, 2008).
3. ^ BBC News, 'Michael Birt to become bailiff' http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/jersey/7939816.stm; B Queree, 'New Bailiff to take up reins in June', Jersey Evening Post http://www.thisisjersey.com/2009/03/12/new-bailiff-to-take-up-reins-in-june; channel online, 'Michael Birt is sworn as Bailiff' http://www.channelonline.tv/channelonline_jerseynews/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=432017
4. ^ channelonline, 'Protestors heckle Bailiff' http://www.channelonline.tv/channelonline_jerseynews/displayarticle.asp?id=431975

External links

• Official biography http://www.jerseycourts.je/about/jerseys-judiciary/bailiff/
• Profile on Guernsey Society website http://www.guernsey-society.org.uk/donkipedia/index.php5?title=Michael_Birt