ONE of the region’s most eminent lawyers, former Chief Justice Lensley Wolfe, died on Tuesday in Kingston at the age of 85.

News of his passing was greeted with an abundance of best wishes and messages recalling his service to the nation as chief justice between 1996 and 2007, which earned him the distinction of being described by his colleagues, “as a hard-working and eminent jurist”.

Wolfe attended St Jago High School in St Catherine, where he served as chairman of the school board for several years. He was also considered to be a devout Anglican, who has served as chancellor of the Anglican diocese in Jamaica.

According to Prime Minister Andrew Holness, “he was a beacon of hope and inspiration for all those who sought to uphold the rule of law and promote the common good”.

“He will always be remembered for his outstanding contributions to the legal profession, and his unwavering commitment to fairness and equality. We owe a debt of gratitude to Chief Justice Wolfe for his many years of service to our country,” the prime minister stated.

Retired Court of Appeal Judge Clarence Walker, who was Wolfe’s close legal friend, described him as “one of the most hard-working, erudite judges ever produced by Jamaica”. He pointed out that Wolfe joined the court system as a teenager, and he and Walker worked together in the Corporate Area Parish Court, from where they both left in the 1960s to study law in London.

“His judgements were always sound and well-reasoned. In my tenure as a judge of the Court of Appeal and, within my knowledge, no judgement of his as chief justice was ever reversed,” Walker noted.

He said that Wolfe exercised a “hands-on approach” to his work, and never shirked. He reminded also that as “a no-nonsense judge”, Justice Wolfe was always keen to see that justice was done in every case which came before him.

“He was always anxious to satisfy the constitutional requirement, that justice should be administered within a reasonable time to all persons who came before the court. He was the consummate disciplinarian at all times. In his passing, Jamaica has suffered an irreparable loss. I extend my sincere condolences to his family,” Walker added.

The People’s National Party (PNP) shared a statement which pointed out that Wolfe was a highly respected jurist and his contributions to the development of the Jamaican legal system could not be forgotten.

The party’s message noted that, as chief justice of Jamaica, Justice Wolfe worked tirelessly to improve access to justice for all Jamaicans, and to improve the operations of the courts.

Leader of the Opposition PNP Mark Golding said that Wolfe was a trailblazer who left an indelible mark on Jamaica’s legal system.

“He was fearless, and demanded personal discipline and adherence to high standards of behaviour from all who came before him in court. His contributions, as head of the judiciary, resulted in significant improvements to the justice system, which will benefit generations to come. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones during this difficult time,” Golding wrote.

Current Chief Justice Bryan Sykes also paid tribute to the Wolfe, recalling him as “a person who emphasised professionalism, punctuality and forthrightness”.

“He expected high levels of integrity, and strongly believed that lawyers and judges alike should conduct themselves in a manner befitting of their noble offices,” Sykes said.

Justice Minister Delroy Chuck said that “throughout his long and distinguished career, Chief Justice Wolfe was known for his unwavering commitment to fairness, impartiality, and the rights of all Jamaicans”.

He said that he saw him as “a champion of justice”, who worked tirelessly to ensure that everyone, regardless of their background, had access to a fair and just legal system. He said that Justice Wolfe was also a mentor and role model to many young lawyers and judges, throughout his long and distinguished career.

Wolfe was born on June 1937. He was described as an outstanding jurist, a patriot of Jamaica and a man of outstanding integrity. He is survived by his wife Audrey, three daughters, including Supreme Court Judge Simone Wolfe-Reece, and several grandchildren.