Revised Laws of Dominica

The Revised Laws of Dominica are the nation’s official, consolidated compilations of all Acts, statutory instruments, and regulations in force to a specified revision date. Prepared under the authority of the Law Revision Act (Chap. 3:02), the most recent full edition covers legislation enacted up to January 2017. Its publication as part of S.R.O. S‑37/2021 marked the first comprehensive overhaul in some 26 years.

These volumes, 12 in total across 15 binders, serve to organise and clarify laws that had become unwieldy through successive amendments, repeals, and new enactments. By standardising formatting, indexing, and structure, the Revised Laws restore coherence and facilitate access for legal professionals, public officials, and citizens alike.

A dedicated Law Revision Commission, established by Cabinet in 2015, oversaw this process. Led by Ray Harris, the Commission worked to reconcile decades of legal change, aiming to ensure that the Consolidated Laws supported justice administration, governance management, and public sector efficiency.

The revised edition became legally operative after implementing the Miscellaneous Amendments Act 2020 (Act 8 of 2020), which formally recognized the 2017 revised volume as the sole authoritative source of law. Existing title references and legal citations were realigned accordingly from previous revisions like the 1990 edition.

Compilation Process & Institutional Significance

The Law Revision Commission handled four major tasks:

• Collecting all existing laws and statutory instruments.
• Identifying and removing obsolete or redundant provisions.
• Incorporating amendments and repealed sections.
• Republishing laws in revised format as of a determined cut-off (January 2017).

In doing so, nearly three decades of legal development were consolidated into a streamlined format.

These Revised Laws are critical to ensuring that legal application and public administration align with up-to-date statutory text. They support legislative and judicial accuracy and provide clarity in statutory interpretation. Between full revision cycles, statutory changes are issued by S.R.O.s and published in the Gazette; major updates later integrate into the next comprehensive revision.

Broader Implications for Practice & Governance

The Revised Laws form the backbone of legal research and policy development in Dominica. Their availability supports consistent governance, legislative drafting, and court rulings. Legal professionals rely on these consolidated texts for advising clients..

Institutions such as the Dominica Bar Association, Ministry of Legal Affairs, Parliament, and regional bodies like the OECS Legislative Reform Unit use this compilation to ensure legal compliance across sectors. Access to current legal texts also aids the public, NGOs, and academic institutions in monitoring governance and legal rights.

Key Provisions and Features of the Revised Laws

• The Law Revision Act (Chap. 3:02) empowers consolidation of statutes and S.R.O.s.
• The 2017 consolidated edition replaced the prior 1990 Revised Laws as of December 2020.
• It comprises 12 volumes in 15 binders, covering legislation through January 2017.
• Formatting includes clear numbering, historical notes, descriptive titles, and editorial consistency.
• The Miscellaneous Amendment Act 2020 (Act 8 of 2020) brought the revision into official force.
• Updated laws are issued via Government gazette S.R.O.s between major revisions.
• Important statutes (e.g., electoral law, land law, public governance Acts) are fully integrated.
• Editions are accessible through government publication, legal libraries, and official digital releases.
• Supplementary updates and partial revisions (e.g. 2017–2020) are referenced via successive S.R.O.s.
• The consolidation supports better legal clarity, educates policymakers, and streamlines judicial proceedings.

The Revised Laws of Dominica are more than just mere reprints, they represent a deliberate effort to modernize, clarify, and unify Dominica’s legal system. Through structured legal consolidation, the government ensures that laws remain accessible, coherent, and functional for all sectors of society.