Masters of the Bench

The Honourable Mrs. Justice Zaila McCalla, OJ, since her admission to the Bar in 1976 has served as Clerk of Courts, Crown Counsel, Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions, Resident Magistrate and Senior Resident Magistrate.

On July 7, 1997, she was appointed as a Puisne Judge of the Supreme Court, and was in April 2006 appointed as Judge of the Court of Appeal.  In 2007, Mrs. Justice Zaila McCalla became the first woman to be appointed as Chief Justice of Jamaica.

She chairs several committees including the Judicial Service Commission, the Supreme Court Rules Committee, the Queen’s Counsel Committee, the Advisory Board of the Justice Training Institute and the Archives Advisory Committee.

She has also served as Chair of the Conference of Caribbean Chief Justices and Heads of Judiciary dealing with legal reforms in the Caribbean region.

Master McCalla is deeply involved in the implementation of initiatives geared towards reform of the Justice system.  She is the Keeper of the Records of the island Record Office.

Master McCalla is also Chancellor of the Anglican Diocese of Jamaica and the Cayman Islands.

She is married to Mr. William McCalla and they have three children.