CASTRIES, St. Lucia – Trinidadian-born, Justice Margaret Price-Findlay, has been sworn in as acting Chief Justice of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) replacing St. Lucian-born jurist, Mario Michel, whose retirement goes into effect on Monday.
Justice Price-Finday (File Photo)Justice Price-Findlay will act in the position until February 25, 2026, when the regional court’s judicial and legal service commission appoints a substantive Chief Justice.
Michel’s appointment was slated to expire on January 19, 2026.
“However, I decided to retire from my substantive office as a justice of appeal and consequently as acting chief justice, as of May 5, 2025, which is the anniversary of my appointment as acting chief justice,” he told a special sitting of the ECSC last month to mark his retirement.
“I am hoping that my retirement will help to clear the path to a unanimous decision of the OECS (Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States) heads of government on a permanent appointment to the office of chief justice,” Michel said.
Justice Price-Findlay is the first jurist from the OECS to be appointed to the post with all the chief justices in the history of the court having come from within the Eastern Caribbean.
The Trinidadian born jurist received her early schooling at the Holy Name Convent in Port of Spain. In 1985, she earned a Bachelor of Laws degree with honors from the Cave Hill campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI) in Barbados. She subsequently attended the Hugh Wooding Law School, where she was awarded the Legal Education Certificate upon completing her studies in 1987.
Justice Price-Findlay began her legal career as an Associate in the Law Firm of James Brathwaite from 1987 to 1988. Between 1988 and 1990, she was an Associate in the Chambers of Clarke and Company; between 1991 and 1994, she held the position of Associate in the Chambers of McW Todman and Company in the Territory of the British Virgin Islands (BVI).
In 1995, she founded her private legal practice in the BVI, which expanded into a law firm with other notable partners and associates. Justice Price Findlay served as managing partner in her firm until she was appointed to act as a High Court Judge of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, assigned to Anguilla from February to May 2009.
In September 2009, Justice Price Findlay was appointed a High Court Judge assigned to Grenada. From 1st September 2015 to August 2022, she was assigned to St. Lucia and served as a judge of the Criminal Division of the High Court. On 1st September 2022, Justice Price Findlay was elevated to the Court of Appeal Bench.
According to the ECSC website, Justice Price- Findlay“ brings extensive experience to the role, including an invaluable understanding of the trial and appellate jurisdictions. She has also acted as a judge of the Court of Appeal on numerous occasions prior to her full-time appointment.”
