Nature intended him for a judge. All of his leading mental characteristics were of the judicial type.” Thus, Justice Soza commenced his distinguished career on the bench on 1st March 1957 as an Acting Supernumerary Office at Balapitiya. Justice Soza has served as the Magistrate and District Judge of Balapitiya (1958 and 1966), Additional District Judge of Galle (1961-1966), Additional District Judge of Colombo (1968), District Judge of Matara, High Court Judge of Avissawella and as the High Court Judge of Colombo (1974). Thus, it is evident that Justice Soza has promptly served in anxious areas of this country displaying commendable courage, patience, integrity and ability and demonstrated that the “Rule of law can rise above the clash” of political crisis. He has had an impressive career as a Judicial Officer. He has accepted the terrible situations and ungrudgingly served with sincerity and dedication, irrespective of the station he was posted to.

In 1978 he was elected to the Court of Appeal and in 1982 he was appointed as a Judge of the Supreme Court. The fact that he is competent in both Criminal and Civil Law has kept him in good stead. He has strived hard to keep up and maintain the noble tradition of the Bench and served the public without fear and favour. “His fund of ‘common sense’ was inexhaustible….his opinions are pervaded by a human and liberal spirit. They were read and admired for their terseness, directness, lucidity and practical comprehension of the cases under consideration, by the members of the bench and bar throughout the country.

Some of the decisions of Justice Soza were both legalistic and innovative in form, and incontrovertibly, revolutionary in substance. His apprehensions were not rapid, but he evaluated clearly and rationally and reasoned out strongly. He is never ever suspected of ulterior political views, and his integrity and independence are not doubted. He always endeavoured for judiciary precision.

Justice Soza has played a vital role in the drafting of the Judicature Act and The code of Criminal Procedure Act. He himself was a voracious reader of legal literature, as could be seen from his judgements which contained all relevant authorities. He is an erudite judge and also has judicial and human qualities of the highest order.

On the completion of twenty seven years of service on the bench, he continued to render his services to the Sri Lankan judiciary, unruffled, unmoved from the paths of right and justice. Thus, having been a loyal, dedicated and a fruitful Judicial luminary one would certainly hope that Justice Soza will remain a role – model to all who are engaged in the assignment of administering justice.

After his retirement Justice Soza has served as Chairman of the Ministry of Justice Seminar on the Primary Courts, Chairman of the ministry of law delays Committee on the Primary Courts, a member of the Ministry’s Youthful Offenders Sentencing Policy Committee, Editor in chief of the Sri Lanka Law Journal Law Journal Law Reports and as the first Director of the Judges Institute of Sri Lanka.

In conclusion, we must say the “The beginning and end of law is kindness” (Jewish proverb). Justice Soza was prosperous in compassion in his deliberations. He with perfect judicial temperament and perceptive and analytical mind had the ability to take independent and impartial views. His lordship was eminently equipped to hold the scales of Justice. Therefore, we are proud to say high and loud that the exceptional and finer qualities are well and truly enshrined and reflected in the judicial life – style of his Lordship justice Soza. Thus, he will shine as a brilliant star in the history of the judiciary of our country.

A Special Message from Justice P.H.K. Kulatilaka, Additional Director, Sri Lanka Judges Institute

“Justice J.F.A. Soza grounded himself  in the basic principles of the law and imparted his vast knowledge mingled with his personal experience to the judicial officers with a view to make every judge a “ good judge”. Undoubtedly that was his principle legacy to posterity. During his lectures he often quoted the parable of the unjust judge who ‘feared not the God, neither regarded the man’. He told the judges that after the primary facts are found on a fair trial between the parties the judges are in a good position to draw inferences of conclusions from those facts to arrive at the right decision.”