The role of Justice of the Peace can be traced back to England in 1195 under Richard the Lionheart when he appointed a number of knights to preserve the peace - they were known as Custodes Pacis (keepers of the peace). The title of Justice of the Peace was introduced in 1361 by Edward III and the first Justice of the Peace in Australia was appointed in 1788.
A modern day justice of the peace is typically someone of good stature in the community who is authorised to witness and sign statutory declarations and affidavits and to certify copies of original documents. Criteria for appointment and powers vary widely, depending on the jurisdiction. For example, in Queensland, a justice of the peace (qualified) must complete an exam prior to being eligible for appointment, whereas in Victoria, a person need only prove good character by way of references. Generally speaking, a justice of the peace cannot act in relation to a document which is to be used in a foreign country. One exception to this, however, is that countries in the Commonwealth frequently accept documents so certified, but this is largely dependent on local legislation.
The role of the Justice of the Peace (JP) is to act as an independent and objective witness to documents people use for official or legal purposes. JPs can serve different roles in different jurisdictions.
Generally JPs: • witness oaths or affidavits • take statutory declarations and affirmations • witness signatures • attest the execution of a document • certify a true copy of an original document
Copyright 2014-2016 Australasian Council of Justices' Associations
