The Magistracy of Antigua and Barbuda has been strengthened with the appointment of Cherissa Roberts Thomas as a Magistrate in the Family Division, alongside the elevation of Veronica E. Thomas to Senior Magistrate.
Magistrate Cherissa Roberts Thomas assumed her new judicial role on July 1, 2026, following more than two decades of experience in the legal profession.
She holds an Upper Second-Class Honours Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Wolverhampton, a Legal Education Certificate from the Norman Manley Law School in Jamaica, and was admitted to the Bar of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court in Antigua and Barbuda in 2002.
Roberts Thomas spent eight years in private practice before establishing C. Roberts Thomas & Associates in 2010, where she served as Founder and Managing Attorney. She has also been an active member of the Antigua and Barbuda Bar Association, serving in several leadership capacities, including President from 2022 to 2025.
Her professional experience also includes court-certified mediation, including family mediation. Beyond the legal profession, she has contributed to community and non-profit initiatives focused on community development and social advancement.
Her appointment to the Family Division brings extensive legal, mediation, professional leadership and community experience to the Magistracy, particularly in an area of the justice system dealing with matters affecting families and children.
Meanwhile, Veronica E. Thomas, who was called to the Bar of Antigua and Barbuda in October 1998, has been elevated to Senior Magistrate, effective November 14, 2025. She assumed her new role at the St. John’s Magistrate’s Court on July 1, 2026.
Senior Magistrate Thomas has served on the Bench since 2012 and was the first Magistrate assigned to the Family Court Division in Antigua and Barbuda. She previously served as Crown Counsel and Assistant Registrar of the High Court before entering private legal practice.
She has also contributed to the work of committees of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court and is a member of the Eastern Caribbean Association of Women Judges. She is a trained civil and family law mediator.
In her new capacity, Senior Magistrate Thomas is assigned to the Criminal and Civil Divisions of the Magistrate’s Court in Districts A, B and C.
Attorney General Sir Steadroy C. Benjamin welcomed the appointments, noting that the strengthened Magistracy is expected to increase the Court’s capacity, assist in reducing delays and enhance access to justice for citizens.
The Attorney General congratulated both Magistrates on their new roles and wished them continued success as they contribute to the administration of justice in Antigua and Barbuda.
The appointments form part of continued efforts to strengthen the country’s judicial system and ensure that matters before the Magistrate’s Court are dealt with efficiently and fairly.
This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: Cherissa Roberts Thomas Appointed Magistrate, Veronica E. Thomas Elevated to Senior Magistrate.