The first sitting of the Tongan Court of Appeal for 2008 began on Tuesday, July 15 at the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court. The judgements expected by July 25 will include the appeal by the People's Representatives over additional 16/11 charges filed against them by the Crown.

The Appeal Judges for this year's hearing are Mr Justice James Burchett, Mr Justice Peter Salmon and Mr Justice Michael Moore.

During the two-weeks hearing the three judges will preside over 14 appeal cases, including eight civil, four land and two criminal cases.

The eight civil cases consist of appeals by Kingdom of Tonga v Semisi Tapueluelu; Saia Fonua v TCC; Kolo v Leone and others; Kapeli v Piukala; and two appeal cases each for Tu'ival v Kingdom of Tonga and Walter Trading v Port Authority.

The land cases consist of an appeal by Wang v Fund Management Ltd. and Joe's Services in Ha'apai; Tonga Water Board v Likiliki; Parrish v Rush; and Mangisi v Ministry of Lands and the MBF Bank.

There are only two criminal appeal cases, the first by Tafolo v Crown. The other case is an appeal by 'Akilisi Pohiva, Clive Edwards, 'Isileli Pulu, 'Uliti Uata and former PR Lepolo Taunisila against a decision made by Chief Justice Anthony Ford in October last year to allow the Crown to file two additional charges each of them for abetment to a riotous assembly and abetment to the damage of buildings, in addition to sedition charges each.

The Court of Appeal will pass their judgement on Friday, July 25.