About The Logos

Consistent with the authority and status of the Judiciary as an independent branch of Government, the production of a logotype peculiar to the Supreme Court and Magisterial Courts, in both their adjudicative and administrative capacities, has been commissioned.

The Attorney General has registered the design copyright in the logotype under section 30 of the Industrial Property Act, Ch 324 and will pursue any remedies arising from improper use. The Registrar of the Supreme Court will oversee the use, display and production of the logotype. The recognition and acceptance of the logotype by ministries and agencies of the Government has been effected by Cabinet Conclusion ICM (05) 867.

With the adoption of this logotype, the use of the National Coat of Arms will properly only be used for statutory forms and notices or other documents emanating from the courts as the juridical arm of State authority.

The principal form of the logotype is varied appropriately to express the discreet status of the Supreme Court, magistrates and the administrative staff, respectively. In each instance traditional symbols are employed which are, as near as possible, self-explanatory.

The particular logotype of the Supreme Court, rendered as a wall plaque, may be displayed in courtrooms (in place of the Royal Coat of Arms or the National Coat of Arms, which are now variously displayed).

The particular logotype of magistrates may be displayed in any courtroom used by a magistrate.

The common form of the logotype will appear on stationery generally used by administrative officers and clerical staff and is, ordinarily, the only form of the logotype that will be approved, in the discretion of the Registrar, for reproduction as decals or for display on clothing, decorative paraphernalia and commemorative items.

The Logotype of the Supreme Court

Weighing scales superimposed upon a cross-hilted sword, which is balanced on an open book and surmounted by an owl, the whole being encircled in an ellipse by the words ?The Supreme Court of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas? in white letters on a dark red background.

The scales are the universally recognised symbol of judgment and the sword expresses authority and the power to give effect to edicts. The owl, a species of Bahamian fauna, symbolises vigilance, wisdom and prudence and distinguishes the Supreme Court as a court exercising ?inherent powers?. The open book represents the corpus of law.

The Logotype of Magistrates

Weighing scales superimposed upon a cross-hilted sword, which is balanced on an open book, the whole being encircled in an ellipse having the word ?Magistrate? at the top and ?the Commonwealth of The Bahamas? at the bottom in white letters on a dark blue background.

As with the Supreme Court, the scales are the universally recognised symbol of judgment and the sword expresses authority and the power to give effect to edicts. The open book represents the statute laws, all magistrates deriving their authority from statute.

The Logotype of the Administrative Office

Weighting scales, the symbol of justice, below which is a scroll having the motto ?TODAY?, rising from eight alternating blue and white stripes ?barry wavy?, the whole being encircled in an ellipse having the word ?Office of the Judiciary? at the top and ?the Commonwealth of The Bahamas? at the bottom in white letters on an aquamarine background.

The motto ?today? encapsulates the declared ?Vision? of the Office of the Judiciary: To provide the framework to minimize the time between the initiation and disposition of criminal complaints and between the origination and resolution of civil claims and to provide the public with ethical, courteous, efficient and professional service in the process, and is a promise to the public and an internal reminder that procrastination and delay are unacceptable because ?tomorrow? is guaranteed to none.

?Barry wavy? is a traditional heraldic device to represent the sea, and is appropriate to The Bahamas as an archipelago. It has also been used as a reminder of Providence in troubles that keep us in continuous exercise as in waves in a storm at sea.