Antigua and Barbuda’s judicial branch is receiving a targeted boost, following the confirmation of two key judicial appointments that went into effect on July 1, 2026. Veteran legal professional Cherissa Roberts Thomas has joined the Magistracy as a Magistrate for the Family Division, while long-sitting judicial officer Veronica E. Thomas has been elevated to the role of Senior Magistrate.
Roberts Thomas brings more than 24 years of specialized legal experience to her new post, building a distinguished career across private practice, legal leadership and community service. She earned an Upper Second-Class Honours Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Wolverhampton, followed by a Legal Education Certificate from Jamaica’s prestigious Norman Manley Law School. In 2002, she was formally admitted to the Bar of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court in Antigua and Barbuda, marking the start of her public-facing legal work.
After eight years working in established private practices, Roberts Thomas launched her own independent law firm, C. Roberts Thomas & Associates, in 2010, leading the practice as Founder and Managing Attorney for more than 15 years. A committed leader within the local legal community, she has held multiple governance roles within the Antigua and Barbuda Bar Association, culminating in her service as the organization’s President from 2022 to 2025. Her professional credentials also include certification as a court-appointed mediator, with a particular focus on family law mediation. Outside of her formal legal work, Roberts Thomas has long volunteered with community and non-profit groups dedicated to local development and equitable social progress. Officials note that her diverse background in legal practice, mediation, leadership and community outreach will bring valuable perspective to the Family Division, which handles sensitive legal matters impacting families and children across the islands.
In a parallel change to the Magistracy leadership, Veronica E. Thomas has been promoted to the position of Senior Magistrate, with her appointment officially taking effect on November 14, 2025, ahead of her assuming duties at the St. John’s Magistrate’s Court in July 2026. First called to the Antigua and Barbuda Bar in October 1998, Thomas brings nearly 30 years of legal and judicial experience to her new role. She joined the judicial bench in 2012, and made history as the first ever Magistrate assigned exclusively to Antigua and Barbuda’s Family Court Division. Prior to her judicial career, Thomas held public legal roles including Crown Counsel and Assistant Registrar of the High Court, before entering private legal practice. She has also contributed to policy and operational work across multiple committees of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, and holds active membership in the Eastern Caribbean Association of Women Judges. Like Roberts Thomas, she is a trained mediator specializing in both civil and family law matters. In her new capacity as Senior Magistrate, Thomas will oversee criminal and civil cases across the court’s Districts A, B and C.
Attorney General Sir Steadroy C. Benjamin has publicly welcomed both appointments, emphasizing that the expanded leadership team will strengthen the Magistracy’s overall operational capacity. Benjamin highlighted that the changes are designed to cut down on long-standing case processing delays, and improve equitable access to justice for all Antigua and Barbuda citizens. He offered official congratulations to both jurists, wishing them continued success in their new roles as they support the fair and efficient administration of justice across the country. Officials confirmed that the two appointments are part of a sustained, multi-year government initiative to reinforce Antigua and Barbuda’s judicial framework, ensuring all matters brought before the Magistrate’s Court are resolved in a timely, fair and transparent manner.