About Jersey

The Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands which are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and other rocks and reefs. Together with the Bailiwick of Guernsey, it forms the archipelago known as the Channel Islands.

Like the Isle of Man, Jersey is a separate possession of the Crown and is not part of the United Kingdom. Jersey has an international identity different from that of the UK, although it belongs to the Common Travel Area. The United Kingdom is constitutionally responsible for the defence of Jersey. Jersey is not a part of the European Union but has a special relationship with it, being treated as part of the European Community for the purposes of free trade in goods. (Source Wikipedia)

A bailiwick is the area or district of jurisdiction of a Bailiff.  The Bailiff is the first civil officer in each of the Channel Island bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey, serving as president of the legislature and the Royal Court. Each bailiwick has possessed its own bailiff since the islands were divided into two jurisdictions in the 13th century.  Jersey adopted a ministerial system under a Chief Minister following the 2005 elections. The Bailiff is appointed by the Crown, and generally holds office until retirement . He presides at the Royal Court, and takes the opinions of the Jurats, elected lay judges; he also presides over the States, and represents the Crown in all civil matters.