History of the High Court of Civil Appeal

Strengthening the efficiency of the civil justice system in Sri Lanka.

Establishment of the Court

The High Court of Civil Appeal Tangalle marks an important milestone in the legal history of decentralizing the appellate process in civil cases in Sri Lanka. Introduced under the Provincial High Courts (Special Provisions) (Amendment) Act, No. 54 of 2006, the primary objective was to decentralize appellate powers previously confined to the Court of Appeal in Colombo to the provincial tier.

Initially, all civil appeals in the Southern Province were conducted centrally in Galle and Matara. To eliminate regional delays and minimize the backlog of cases, a separate Civil Appeal High Court was established within the Tangalle Court Complex in the year 2011 for appeals arising across the Hambantota District.

High Court of Civil Appeal Building

Decentralization Milestone

Year 2011

Establishment of the independent Civil Appeal High Court for the Hambantota District within the Tangalle Court Complex.

A Specialized Forum for Adjudication

Throughout the history of this court, a double bench of at least two High Court Judges appointed by the President on the recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission conducts trials to hear appeals and revisions in accordance with statutory procedures.

High Court of Civil Appeal Building

Commitment to Judicial Efficiency

From its inception to the present day, the Court has provided a historic opportunity for the people of Hambantota District to resolve appeals regarding land, property, and family cases within their own region, with further appeals directed exclusively to the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka.