Deborah Rogers Named Belize’s New Chief Magistrate

Belizean Senior Magistrate Deborah Rogers is set to take on the role of Chief Magistrate, a position she will officially assume on March 21, 2025. Her promotion, confirmed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission, marks a milestone in her nearly decade-long legal career.

Rogers will replace outgoing Chief Magistrate Jayani Wegadapola of Sri Lanka, who served in the post for approximately one year. This appointment signifies a return to Belizean leadership at the helm of the magistracy.

Currently stationed in Orange Walk Town, Rogers brings a wealth of academic and professional experience to the position. She graduated from the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill, with a Bachelor of Laws degree in 2012. She went on to earn her Legal Education Certificate from the Norman Manley Law School in Jamaica in 2014. Her academic journey continued with a Master of Laws (LLM) in Criminal Law from the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, which she completed on a prestigious Chevening Scholarship.