“Lawyers around the world are often members of local bars which are professional associations (no different from other professions such as medicine and so on). In most countries there are requirements to take an oath to act fairly for the client, and some countries require an oath to the sovereign (from which one can be exempted as Americans were in Australia as swearing allegiance to The Queen could prejudice their American citizenship). In my case I took an oath of allegiance to The Queen in Australia and in England and also on Norfolk Island (in fact two oaths, one as a barrister, then later as a magistrate). Then I took a similar oath in Ireland (although no queen as Ireland is a republic). Then in the United States I undertook to obey the laws of the United States and its various states. Not one of these oaths prevented me from acting at all times in the interest of justice for all people nor did it stop me from acting against the Crown or the Government. You may recall the classic case in England where it was determined the Crown could and would be sued (“Let Right be Done”). Apart from being a member of the Norfolk Island Bar, I am also a member of The Victorian Bar, and the International Bar Association as well as the South Pacific Lawyers Association and the European Association of Lawyers. I have been admitted to the Inner Temple (England) and Kings’ Inns (Ireland where there is no king). Not one of these memberships in any way affects my independence and my ability to act fairly and in the interests of justice whether as a barrister-at-law or a judge. The ITNJ is and will be independent in the interests of natural justice for all peoples. We have already had discussions regarding representation before the ITNJ as clearly spelled out in the Constitution. To those who say “they do not trust lawyers and judges” I would ask what remedy they would seek? There are only three ways to change things: politically, you need influence and money and lots of it; revolutionary, you need even more money and lots of people united in the one cause who will act together; legally, you need competent lawyers and honest judges, which is what you will get with the ITNJ.”
Kind regards,
John W.B.