In the Channel Islands of Guernsey the Bailiff is the first civil officer, serving as president of the legislature and the Royal Court. Each island has possessed its own bailiff since the post was divided in the 13th century. Since 2004, Guernsey's head of government is the Chief Minister. Jersey is also in the process of adopting a ministerial system under a Chief Minister.
He is appointed by the Crown, and generally holds office for life. He presides at the Royal Court, and takes the opinions of the Jurats; he also presides over the States, and represents the Crown in all civil matters.
Though he need not necessarily have had legal training, he is invariably selected from among those who have held some appointment at the Island's Bar.
In 1617 a Privy Council decision clarified the division of civil and military responsibilities between the bailiff and the governor. For the first time the Crown laid down the bailiff’s precedence over the governor in justice and civil affairs.
In 1771 it was laid down that no laws might be adopted without being passed by the States of Jersey. From this time on it was clear that the bailiff, as president of the States, was the chief power in Jersey, although the process of democratisation through the 19th and 20th centuries has shifted the focus of political influence to the elected members of the States. The introduction of a ministerial system of government under a chief minister is further removing the bailiff from direct decision-making.
The bailiff of a sheriff is an under-officer employed by a` sheriff within a county for the purpose of executing writs, processes, distraints and arrests.
Special bailiffs are officers appointed by the sheriff at the request of a plaintiff for the purpose of executing a particular process.
The high bailiff is responsible for all the acts and defaults of himself, and of the bailiffs appointed to assist him, in the same way as a sheriff of a county is responsible for the acts and defaults of himself and his officers.
The ChannelIslands was included as part of the British postal service and used British stamps until the war and occupation.
The bailiffs of the two bailiwicks were to assume the duties of lieutenant governor during the occupation.
Channel Islanders were forbidden to communicate outside the Islands, except by censored 25-word Red Cross messages which took many months to reach their destinations.
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