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FAQs

1. When was the Law Reform Commission  established?
   • The Law Reform Commission was established by the Law Reform Commission Law No. 6 of 2005 and commenced operation on 16 September, 2005.
2. What are the functions of the Law Reform Commission?
   • The Commission's mandate is to study and keep under constant review the statutes and other laws comprising the law of the Cayman Islands with a view to its systematic development and reform, including in particular -
     • the modification of any branch of the law as far as that is practicable;
     • the elimination of anomalies in the law, the repeal of obsolete and unnecessary enactments and the simplification and modernisation of the law;
     • the development of new areas in the law with the aim of making them more responsive to the changing needs of Cayman Islands society;
     • the adoption of new or more effective methods for the administration of the law and the dispensation of justice; and
     • the codification of the unwritten laws of the Cayman Islands.
3. What is the composition of the Law Reform Commission?
   • The work of the Commission is carried out by six Commissioners and two full time legal counsels (the Director and Senior Legislative Counsel) and one Administrative Secretary. The Commission is a department of the Portfolio of Legal Affairs but it acts independently in its review of matters. Its recommendations are based on its own research and analysis of ideas submitted by stakeholders and by the public.
     The Attorney General refers matters to the Commission but the Commission may initiate and carry out studies and research necessary for the improvement and modernisation of any area of the law based on comments from the public, interest groups or on its research.
4. How is Law reform conducted?
   • The law reform process is a time consuming one and comprises extensive consultation, legal research and writing. The Commission usually prepares two publications during the course of a project. The first publication, the Discussion or Consultation Paper, sets out the Commission's preliminary suggestions for reform. The preliminary suggestions are usually made after legal research is carried out by the staff of the Commission and after such research has been considered by the Commissioners. The Commission either publishes the Discussion or Consultation paper on htt p://w w w.lrc.gov.ky and www.gov.ky or it submits the consultation paper to identified stakeholders for comments.
     The second publication is a Final Report, which is submitted to the Attorney General. It contains the final recommendations of the Commission and, in most cases to date, a draft law. The Commission makes its final recommendations after it takes into account the responses it receives to the Discussion or Consultation Paper. Since its establishment the Commission has produced several project papers and reports and twelve annual reports which are listed in the Appendix.
5. Who can make suggestions to review a particular law?
   • All citizens/residents of the Cayman Islands can make suggestions to review any law which they think requires amendments or repeal.
6. Can I make comments/suggestions to any project of the Commission?
   • Yes, through consultations process of the Law Reform Commission, all citizens/residents of the Cayman Islands are encouraged to make comments/suggestions to the projects of the Commission.