Magistrate Foldats promoted to chief magistrate

(CMR) His Excellency the Governor, Martyn Roper, OBE announced the appointment of Magistrate Valdis Foldats to the post of Chief Magistrate effective 1 February 2021, following Chief Magistrate Hall’s retirement.

The Judicial and Legal Services Commission (the “JLSC”) recently carried out an internal recruitment process wherein Magistrate Foldats was recommended as the successful candidate. His Excellency subsequently accepted the recommendation.

“I am pleased to appoint Magistrate Foldats as the next Chief Magistrate. I am confident that his skills, experience, knowledge, passion, and commitment will all serve him well as he takes up his new role. I look forward to watching his contributions towards future advancements in, and development of, the Summary Court … I would also like to publicly thank Chief Magistrate Hall for her commitment and dedication to the Summary Court over the past ten years”

His Excellency shared.

Chief Justice Smellie concurred with His Excellency’s sentiments and added “Magistrate Foldats is a very well respected Magistrate who has served in the Summary Court full-time for over eleven years. His colleagues and I welcome his appointment and look forward to his continued innovative work on the Diversionary Courts.” He continued “While we will formally bid goodbye to Chief Magistrate Hall at the Opening of the Grand Court later this month, I take this opportunity to thank Chief Magistrate for her leadership and dedication since her appointment.”

Chief Magistrate Nova Hall is a graduate of the University of the West Indies where she gained her LLB (Hons) in 1986 prior to taking the CLE in 1988, the same year she was called to the Bar. Prior to moving to the Cayman Islands Chief Magistrate Hall practiced law in Jamaica in the areas of Civil and Criminal Litigation, Contract, Company Law, Conveyancing and Probate and Succession.  Chief Magistrate Hall also served for five years as the Senior Deputy Clerk of Courts/Registrar of the Court of Appeal in the Cayman Islands before her initial appointment as a Magistrate in 1999. Chief Magistrate Hall was appointed Chief Magistrate by His Excellency the then Governor, Duncan Taylor, CBE on 1 January 2012.

Chief Magistrate Designate Valdis Foldats

Magistrate Foldats was called to the Bar in Canada in 1984 and prior to moving to the Cayman Islands he spent fifteen years practicing law in the areas of criminal, coroner and disciplinary proceedings. In 1999 Magistrate Foldats began working in the Judicial Administration as the Registrar of Appeal/Senior Deputy Clerk before being promoted to the Clerk of Court, where he served for nine years during which time he also gained experience as an Acting Magistrate. He was appointed a full-time Magistrate by His Excellency the then Governor, Duncan Taylor, CBE on 1 October 2011.