Record fees paid to Guernsey’s Jurats appear to have been driven by a recovery in property market activity, with court officials saying the payments are closely linked to conveyancing work carried out in the Royal Court.
A total of more than £236,000 was distributed to Jurats in 2025 – the most ever- up from almost £175,000 in 2024 and just over £150,000 in 2023.
HM Greffier Antonia Read told Express the increase was “directly related to the volume of activities” undertaken by Jurats, particularly “property conveyancing”.
The latest figure was almost £86,000 higher than the total distributed in 2023, suggesting a significant rebound in the activity which generates the payments.
While she wasn’t able to give a detailed analysis of the year-on-year changes, Ms Read said “events such as Covid” and their impact on the housing market had, in turn, affected the level of fees paid.
More than court work
Unlike in the UK and many other countries, Guernsey’s Royal Court does not use juries in criminal or civil trials.
Instead, elected Jurats sit alongside the judge in the Royal Court, helping to determine the facts of a case and, in criminal matters, sentence offenders.
Ms Read said Jurats perform a range of functions set out in law and receive set fees for certain statutory duties, including witnessing documents in Contract Court.
However, she stressed that many other aspects of the role are unpaid.
She said: “Jurats in Guernsey have numerous duties conferred upon them by statute and receive a set fee for certain activities such as witnessing documents in Contract Court.
“Sitting on trials, civic and ceremonial duties are all voluntary elements of the role.”
The comments suggest the increase reflects higher levels of fee-generating activity, rather than any change in the role itself.
Guernsey has 16 Jurats, who carry out a range of judicial and civic functions.
Set by law
The figures were released in response to a Rule 14 question from Deputy Gavin St Pier.
Ms Read said the fees paid to Jurats were governed by legislation and reviewed annually alongside other charges levied by the Royal Court and Greffe.
She added that, apart from the proportion distributed to Jurats, “funds raised through the fees accrue to the States of Guernsey”.
Deputy St Pier has suggested the current arrangements could potentially be replaced by an annual stipend, arguing that doing so would make the system more transparent.
