Jersey's Bailiff Sir Timothy Le Cocq will retire following royal approval

Credit: Bailiff's Chambers
The Bailiff of Jersey was previously appointed by the late Monarch Queen Elizabeth II, which would have allowed Sir Le Cocq to serve as the island's Bailiff until the end of 2026. Credit: Bailiff's Chambers

Jersey's Bailiff, Sir Timothy Le Cocq, will retire from office following approval by His Majesty The King.

The 90th Bailiff of Jersey made the request to Buckingham Palace to leave the position on the anniversary of his swearing-in.

Sir Le Cocq addressed the States on Tuesday 1 October, saying: "I have received the gracious permission of His Majesty the King to retire from the office of Bailiff in October 2025.

"By that date, I will have had the honour and privilege of serving as Bailiff for exactly six years, have been a Crown Officer for over 17, and will be less than two months short of my sixty-ninth birthday.

"There will be time for the appropriate farewells, of course, and I am looking forward with enthusiasm to my last 12 months in office.

"I wished to make the announcement now, however, to allow an appropriate period for the appointment of my successor and for any other necessary arrangements to be made."

The Bailiff of Jersey is the President of the States and acts as Speaker of the Assembly in the Westminster tradition. Credit: ITV Channel

Who is Sir Timothy Le Cocq?

Born in Jersey, Sir Timothy Le Cocq was a lawyer to the English and Jersey Bar in the 1980s, before becoming a Crown Advocate in 1996.

Sir Le Cocq was then appointed as Her Majesty's Solicitor General in 2008,

He was also sworn in as the Deputy Bailiff in 2015, before being selected as the Bailiff for Jersey in 2019 by Queen Elizabeth II, preceding Sir William Bailhache.

In thanks to his services to the island's community, the outgoing Bailiff was knighted by HRH The Prince of Wales in 2023.

What is the role of the Bailiff of Jersey?

The Bailiff is a crown-appointed role which is responsible for the orderly conduct of the States of Assembly.

Like the UK's Speaker of the House, the Bailiff presides over States proceedings, but cannot vote.

The Bailiff's seat in the States Assembly is 7 inches higher than the Lightenant-Governor's place. This is to emphasise that the Bailiff has precedence over all matters concerning Jersey's governance.

The Bailiff is also the President of the Royal Court and is responsible for official communication with UK authorities.

The Bailiff can usually only hold office until the retirement age of 70, which will be specified in the Letters Patent appointing them to their role.

In the case of Sir Timothy Le Cocq, his status as Bailiff would have ceased to be on Wednesday 9 December 2026.

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