History

The District Court, Ratnagiri was established in the year 1867 and Mr. J. R. Naylor, ESQ, I.C.S. was the first District Judge. Initially Sindhudurg District was a part of Ratnagiri District till its formation i.e. 25th January, 1997. The Statue of District Judge, Late Shri. Mancharje Pestanji Khareghat is placed on the Dias of the District Court, Ratnagiri who served in Ratnagiri Distrit from 1895-1900 and 1904 – 1910 as District Judge. The road proceeding towards the Court has been given name of the District Judge Mr. Khareghat as “KHAREGHAT ROAD”.

Mr. Ravindranath Tagoare resided in the bungalow of his brother who was District Judge during 1886-87. While his stay in the said bungalow he wrote poetries sitting on the stone bench situated on the northwest side of the bungalow facing the Arabian Sea. The said bench is still in existance.

JUDICIAL SETUP OF RATNAGIRI DISTRICT

This District is situated on the Eastern coastal side of the Arabian Sea.There are in all 9 Talukas consisting of Ratnagiri, Rajapur, Lanja, Sangmeshwar, Chiplun, Guhagar, Khed, Dapoli and Mandangad. The District Court is situated at Ratnagiri having the Court of Principal District & Sessions Judge and District Judge-1 and Additional Sessions Judge, Civil Court Senior Division, Chief Judicial Magistrate Court, Two Courts of Joint Civil Court S.D. and six Courts of Joint Civil Judge Junior Divison. At the taluka places at Khed and Chiplun there is Court of District Judge-1 & Additional Sessions Judge and Civil Judge Senior Division at Khed while at the remaining talukas there are the Courts of the Civil Judge Junior Division and Judicial Magistrate First Class. Gram Nyayalaya is established at Pali (Ratnagiri District). For the Appellate Jurisdiction the District is divided into three parts. The appellate jurisdiction for District Court, Ratnagiri consist of Taluka viz. Ratnagiri, Lanja, Sangmeshwar and Rajapur.While the appellate jurisdiction for District and Additional Sessions Court, Khed consist of Talukas viz. Dapoli, Khed and Mandangad while the appellate jurisdiction for District and Additional Sessions Court, Chiplun consist Talukas viz. Guhagar and Chiplun.