The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, established on St. Lucia,
administers the judicial system, which is based on English
common law and statutory acts of the House of Assembly. A puisne
judge of the Court is responsible for St. Kitts and Nevis and
presides over the Court of Summary Jurisdiction. Magistrates'
courts deal with petty criminal and civil cases. The attorney
general is the government's principal legal adviser. An appeal
may be taken to the organization of Eastern Caribbean States
Court of Appeal; until 2003, final appeals were taken to the
Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in the United Kingdom.
St.Kitts and Nevis was among the nations joining together to
form the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) to hear cases formerly
taken to the Privy Council.