Government of Jersey

States Members Oath (FOI)

Produced by the Freedom of Information office
Authored by Government of Jersey on behalf of the States Greffe and published on 19 April 2023.
Prepared internally, no external costs.

Request

Please provide the most up-to-date version of the Oath that States Members must swear when taking office.

Response

The membership of the States is set out in Article 2 of the States of Jersey Law 2005 as follows –

States of Jersey Law 2005 (jerseylaw.je)

Elected Members –

37 Deputies, elected as provided by this Law; and
12 parish Connétables, who are members of the States by virtue of their office.

Non-elected Members –

The Bailiff (who is president);
His Excellency the Lieutenant-Governor; and
The Dean of Jersey, HM Attorney General and HM Solicitor General.

Deputies

The current oath that Deputies swear when taking office is publicly available in the States of Jersey Law 2005, found in Schedule 2 Part 1 (Article 11) as follows –

States of Jersey Law 2005 (jerseylaw.je)

“You swear and promise before God that you will well and faithfully discharge the duties of Deputy; that you will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, her heirs and successors, according to Law; that you will uphold and maintain the laws, privileges, liberties and franchises of Jersey, opposing whomsoever may wish to infringe the same; that you will attend the meetings of the States whenever you are called upon to do so; and generally that you will fulfil all the duties imposed upon you by virtue of the said office. All of which you promise to do on your conscience.”

If a Deputy does not wish to take the Oath they may make a Solemn Affirmation, found in the Solemn Affirmations (Jersey) Law 1963 (Article 2 (1)), which would read as follows –

Solemn Affirmations (Jersey) Law 1963 (jerseylaw.je)

“Do you solemnly, sincerely and truly declare and affirm that you will well and faithfully discharge the duties of Deputy; that you will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, her heirs and successors, according to Law; that you will uphold and maintain the laws, privileges, liberties and franchises of Jersey, opposing whomsoever may wish to infringe the same; that you will attend the meetings of the States whenever you are called upon to do so; and generally that you will fulfil all the duties imposed upon you by virtue of the said office. All of which you promise to do on your conscience.”

N.B It is understood that work is in progress to update all relevant legislation in relation to the change of monarch.

Connétables

The Oath taken by Connétables can be found in the Code of 1771 as follows –

Code of 1771 (jerseylaw.je)

“Vous jurez et promettez, par la foi et serment que vous devez à Dieu, que bien et fidèlement vous exercerez la charge et l’office de Connétable en la Paroisse de.........................; vous ferez garder la paix de Sa Majesté; vous conserverez et procurerez, autant qu’il vous sera possible, les droits qui appartiennent à ladite Paroisse, vous réglant en ce qui concerne le bien public d’icelle par l’avis et le bon conseil des Principaux et des autres Officiers de ladite Paroisse lesquels Officiers vous assemblerez, ou ferez assembler par le moyen de vos Centeniers, régulièrement pour aviser aux choses dont il serait bésoin concernant ladite Paroisse; vous exécuterez les mandements de Monsieur le Lieutenant Gouverneur, de Monsieur le Bailli, de Monsieur son Député et des Juges et Jurés-Justiciers de la Cour Royale en ce qui sera de leur charge respectivement, assistant aux Etats lorsque vous en serez requis; et de tout ce, promettez faire votre loyal devoir, sur votre conscience.”

If a Connétable wishes to affirm it would be “Vous déclarez et affirmez solennellement, sincèrement et en toute vérité que bien et fidèlement etc”

A translation of the Code of 1771 is available at the following link Translation with the relevant section included below –

Translation (jerseylaw.je)

“You swear and promise, by the faith and oath that you owe to God, that you will well and faithfully discharge the duties and office of Connétable of the Parish of…….; you will cause to be kept the King's Peace; you will protect and uphold to the best of your ability the rights appertaining to the said Parish, and as touching the public welfare thereof, you will be guided by the advice and counsel of the Principals and other officers of the said Parish; which officers you will convene, or will cause to be convened through your Centeniers, regularly to advise on the affairs of the Parish; you will execute the lawful orders of the Lieutenant Governor, of the Bailiff, of his Deputy and of the Judges and Jurats of the Royal Court, as pertaining to their respective offices, attending meetings of the States whenever you are called upon to do so; and all this and your bounden duty you promise upon your conscience to perform.”

His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor

The Oath taken by His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor can be found in the Code of 1771 (Translation) and has been provided in translation from the French as follows –

Code of 1771 (Translation) (jerseylaw.je)

“IN AS MUCH AS IT has pleased God to call you to the Office of Governor, Lieutenant Governor, or Deputy Governor of the Castles of the Island of Jersey, You swear and promise here, in the presence of God, that faithfully you will exercise the said Charge, under our Sovereign ………….. ................................................, by the Grace of God, King of Great Britain, France and Ireland, and their dependent Dominions, renouncing all other foreign or alien allegiances, and will safeguard his rights. You will uphold and maintain all jurisdiction, privilege, pre-eminence and authority appertaining to His Majesty; and with all your will and strength, safeguard and cause to be safeguarded the said Island and Castle, against the incursions and surprise attacks of enemies, as well as the Liberties, Rights, Dignities, Laws, Customs and Privileges of the said Island and Castle, to the wellbeing and advancement thereof; Moreover you will uphold with all your strength the Justice of His Majesty, that the same be held in reverence and obeyed, and that the sentences and ordinances of the Courts be duly executed, opposing all traitors, murderers, thieves, mutineers, violent persons and seditionists, such that the authority of the King is upheld; all of which you promise in the discharge of your conscience”

Bailiff

The oath of the Bailiff can be found within the Departments of the Judiciary and the Legislature (Jersey) Law 1965 as follows –

Departments of the Judiciary and the Legislature (Jersey) Law 1965 (jerseylaw.je)

OATH OF OFFICE OF BAILIFF, DEPUTY BAILIFF OR LIEUTENANT BAILIFF

“You swear and promise before God that well and faithfully you will exercise the office of Bailiff (Deputy Bailiff or Lieutenant Bailiff) under our Sovereign Lady Queen Elizabeth the Second in this Her Island of Jersey; that you will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty, Her heirs and successors, according to law; that you will uphold and maintain the honour and glory of God; that you will uphold and maintain the laws and usages and the privileges and freedoms of this Island and that you will vigorously oppose whomsoever may seek to destroy them; that you will administer justice to all manner of persons without favour or partiality; and that you will take heed of the good advice and counsel of the Jurats as the case may require; all of which you promise on your conscience.”

Dean of Jersey

The oath of the Dean of Jersey can be found within the Canons of the Church of England in Jersey as follows –

Canons of the Church of England in Jersey (jerseylaw.je)

“I, A B, do swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, her heirs and successors, according to law: So help me God”.

HM Attorney General and HM Solicitor General

The oath of the Attorney and Solicitor General cam be found within the Departments of the Judiciary and the Legislature (Jersey) Law 1965 as follows –

Departments of the Judiciary and the Legislature (Jersey) Law 1965 (jerseylaw.je)

OATH OF OFFICE OF ATTORNEY GENERAL, SOLICITOR GENERAL OR ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL

“You swear and promise before God that well and faithfully you will exercise the office of Attorney General (Solicitor General or Acting Attorney General) under our Sovereign Lady Queen Elizabeth the Second in this Her Island of Jersey; that you will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty, Her heirs and successors, according to law; that you will uphold and maintain the honour and glory of God; that you will uphold and maintain the laws and usages of this Island; and that you will ensure, so far as you are able, that all transgressors of the law meet their just deserts; all of which you promise on your conscience.”

Article applied

Article 23 - Information accessible to applicant by other means

(1) Information is absolutely exempt information if it is reasonably available to the applicant, otherwise than under this Law, whether or not free of charge.

(2) A scheduled public authority that refuses an application for information on this ground must make reasonable efforts to inform the applicant where the applicant may obtain the information.

This response has been issued on behalf of the States Greffe. The States Greffe is responsible for the information held by (and on behalf of) both itself and the States Assembly. Neither the States Assembly nor the States Greffe form part of the Government of Jersey and the Government was not involved either in the examination and retrieval of any information required for this response, nor in the drafting of the response itself.