[3] They are by default composed of three magistrates appointed by the Minister of Justice on recommendation of the Chief Justice of the High Court, however, the Chief Justice may establish single magistrate units of which there are currently eleven operating on the islands of South Tarawa and Kiritimati.
Additional judges are appointed by the president on advice from the Chief Justice in consultation with the Public Service Commission.
Only a person who has held office as a judge (in any country) or who has been qualified to practice law for at least five years are eligible to be appointed to the High Court.
[5] Judges may only be removed if they are unable to carry out the functions of the office, or for "misbehavior" as decided by the president on resolution by the Maneaba ni Maungatabu after advice from a tribunal appointed by the president, one of whose members must be a person who has held "high judicial office".
[5] From 1877 to 1962, the Chief Justice of Fiji was ex officio the Chief Judicial Commissioner for the Western Pacific including the Gilbert Islands (as Gilbert and Ellice Islands colony).