The Right Honourable Sir Edward Zacca was Chief Justice of the Jamaican Supreme Court from 1985 to 1996. Under the constitution of Jamaica, the Chief Justice of Jamaica serves as acting Governor General when that office is vacant, and Chief Justice Zacca served in that capacity from March to August 1991. Zacca was succeeded as Chief Justice by the Hon. Mr. Justice Lensley Wolfe.

He became a member of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom in 1992. Zacca was first appointed as Justice of Appeal of the Court of Appeal for Bermuda on 21 October 1996. He was been President of the Court from 1 January 2004, serving through 2014.

Early life and education

Edward Zacca was born on 26 July 1931 to Wadie and Angel Zacca.  He attended Kingston College from 1941 to 1947; and was called to the Bar in Middle Temple, London on 9 February 1954. From 1952 to 1953, he was the President of the Hans Crescent Colonial Students' Residence, London.

Career

On 29 June 1954, Zacca was admitted to practice and was appointed Clerk of Courts January 1958. He became Acting Resident Magistrate for St. Catherine, RM for St. Mary and St. James (1960 - 1965), and RM for St. Andrew (1965–1968). He was subsequently appointed, High Court Judge, Justice of Appeal, and President Court of Appeal, Jamaica.

On 2 January 1985, he was sworn in as Chief Justice of Jamaica by Sir Florizel Glasspole at Kings House. He served as acting Governor-General of Jamaica from March to August 1991. Zacca was elevated up to the Privy Council of the United Kingdom when he was accepted by the Privy Council on 1 September 1992 to one of its members.

Zacca was the fourth Caribbean Chief Justice to be appointed to the Privy Council and the first from Jamaica. Here he was not allowed to sit on any appeal being heard from Jamaica but will be eligible to do so for appeals from other Caribbean and Commonwealth countries. He retired as Chief Justice of Jamaica on 25 July 1996 after giving 38 years in the judicial service.

He was also President of the Court of Appeal of Turks & Caicos Islands and a past President of the Court of Appeal of the Cayman Islands. He served as President of the Court of Appeal of the Bahamas from March 2000 to July 2001.

Honours and awards

Edward Zacca is a Member of the Order of Jamaica (OJ).

He is also a member of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom, which confers the right to both the prenominal title 'The Right Honourable' and the post-nominal letters 'PC'.

He was knighted in the 2015 Birthday Honours, as a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG).

Personal life

Edward Zacca married wife Hope Margaret, the daughter of George Haddad (J.P. and Merchant) and Nellie Haddad on 19 October 1958. They had three children together – Christopher, Karen, and Edward, Jr.

Death