Chief Justice of Ghana

Ghana

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Ghana

Executive President (List) John Atta Mills Vice-President John Dramani Mahama Ministers Legislative Parliament Members of Parliament Judicial Judiciary Supreme Court Chief Justice Georgina Theodora Wood Elections Constituencies Elections President: 2004, 2008 Parliament: 2004, 2008 Politicians Political parties Divisions Regions Districts Foreign relations Missions of Ghana

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The Chief Justice of Ghana is the highest judge of the Supreme Court of Ghana. The Chief Justice is also the head of the Judiciary of Ghana and is responsible for its administration and supervision.^[1] In order of state precedence, the Chief Justice is the fourth highest official in Ghana.^[2]

Contents 1 Historical background 2 Appointment and office tenure 3 Supreme Court and other superior courts 4 Judicial Council 5 Other duties 6 Current Chief Justice 7 List of Chief Justices of the Supreme Court 7.1 Chief Justices of the Supreme Court of the Gold Coast 7.2 Chief Justices of Ghana 8 See also 9 Notes 10 References 11 External links

Historical background

The Supreme Court Ordinance of 1876 ended the 10 year absence of a Supreme Court, establishing a Supreme Court of Judicature for the Gold Coast Colony. The court consisted of the Chief Justice and not more than four puisne judges.^[3] This led to the appointment of the first Chief Justice, Sir David Patrick Chambers by the British colonial authorities in 1876. The nature of the office of Chief Justice evolved with the years. The 1954 Gold Coast constitution provided for the Chief Justice to be appointed on the advice of the Prime Minister while other judges and judicial officers were appointed on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission.^[4] Under the 1957 Ghana constitution, on the attainment of independence, the Chief Justice and all superior justices were appointed on the advice of the Prime Minister as the Judicial Service Commission was abolished.^[5] Sir Kobina Arku Korsah became the first Ghanaian Chief Justice.^[6] Under the 1969 constitution, the Chief Justice was appointed by the President acting in consultation with the Council of State.^[7] The office has not changed much since the 1979 constitution though the court system underwent a lot of changes under various military governments between 1972 and 1993.^[8]

Appointment and office tenure

The Chief Justice is appointed by the President of Ghana in consultation with the Council of State of Ghana and with the approval of the Parliament of Ghana.^[9] A person qualified to be the Chief Justice of Ghana must be of a high moral character and have proven integrity,. S/he must have been a lawyer for at least fifteen years to have been eligible for appointment to the Supreme Court in the first place.^[10] Where the office of the Chief Justice is vacant or the Chief Justice is incapacitated and unable to carry out his duties, the most senior of the Justices of the Supreme Court is expected to act in his place until he is able to resume or a new substantive Chief Justice is appointed by the President.^[11] The Chief Justice and any other justice of the Superior Courts may voluntarily retire on reaching the age of 60 years^[12] or stay on till the compulsory retiring age of 70 years.^[13]

Supreme Court and other superior courts

The Supreme Court consists of the Chief Justice and at least nine other judges. The Chief Justice is expected to preside at all sittings of the Supreme Court whenever he or she is present.^[14] The Chief Justice oversees the administration of the Court of Appeal of which he or she is the most senior member.^[15] He or she is also a member and administrator of the High Court^[16] and the Regional Tribunals.^[17]

Judicial Council

The Chief Justice is the chairman of the Judicial Council of Ghana. The council is expected to propose judicial reforms to the Ghana government to help improve the level of administration of justice and efficiency in the Judiciary. It is also expected to be a forum to enhance the administration of justice in Ghana.^[18]

Other duties

• Administer the Presidential oath and the Vice Presidential oaths before parliament prior to both assuming their offices.^[19]
• Administer the oath of allegiance and the judicial oathto all justices of the Superior Courts or designate someone to act in his stead.^[20]
• Chairman of the Rules of Court Committee which makes rules regulating the practice and procedure of all courts in Ghana.^[21]
• To set up a tribunal to resolve grievances against the Electoral Commission of Ghana.^[22]
• Convene and chair a tribunal to oversee proceedings relating to the removal of the President of Ghana from office.^[23]
• Appoint Judicial officers on the advice of the Judicial Council and subject to the approval of the President.^[24]

Current Chief Justice

The current Chief Justice is Georgina Theodora Wood. The Parliament of Ghana approved her nomination on 1 June 2007^[25] following the death of George Kingsley Acquah on March 25, 2007.^[26] She becomes Ghana's first female Chief Justice. Justice Francois Yaonansu Kpegah, the most senior of the Supreme Court judges acted as Chief Justice between March 2007 and June 2007..^[11] He handed over to Georgina Wood on 15 June 2007.^[27]

List of Chief Justices of the Supreme Court

Since its inception in 1876, the Supreme Court has had 24 Chief Justices, including 12 in the Gold Coast era.^[28][29]

Chief Justices of the Supreme Court of the Gold Coast
Chief Justice	Time frame	Period
Sir David Patrick Chambers	1876 - 1878	Gold Coast
P. A. Smith	1878 - 1879	Gold Coast
Sir James Marshall	1880 - 1882	Gold Coast
N. Lessingham Bailey	1882 - 1886	Gold Coast
H. W Macleod	1886 - 1889	Gold Coast
J. T Hutchinson	1889 - 1895	Gold Coast
Sir William Brandford Griffith	1895 - 1911	Gold Coast
Philip Crampton Smyly	1911 - 1928	Gold Coast
Sir George Campbell Deane	1929 - 1935	Gold Coast
Sir Philip Bertie Petrides	1936 - 1943	Gold Coast
Sir Walter Harrangin	1943 - 1947	Gold Coast
Sir Mark Wilson	1948 - 1956	Gold Coast
Sir Kobina Arku Korsah	1956 - 5 March 1957	Gold Coast
Chief Justices of Ghana
Chief Justice	Time frame	Period
Sir Kobina Arku Korsah	6 March 1957 - 1963	Ghana - 1st Republic
J. Sarkodee-Addo	1964 - 1966	1st Republic
Edward Akufo-Addo	1966 - 1970	military rule[5] (1966-1969) 2nd Republic (1969-1970)
Edmund Alexander Lanquaye Bannerman	1970 -1972	2nd Republic[7]
Samuel Azu Crabbe	1973 - 1977	military rule[30]
Fred Kwasi Apaloo	1977 - 1986	military rule (1977-1979) 3rd Republic[8] (24 September 1979-31 December 1981) [a]military rule[8] (31 December 1981-1986)
E. N. P. Sowah	1986 - 1990	military rule
Philip Edward Archer	1991 - 1995	military rule (1991-1993) 4th Republic (1993-1995)
Isaac Kobina Abban	1995 - April 21, 2001	4th Republic
Edward Kwame Wiredu	2001 - 2003	4th Republic
George Kingsley Acquah	July 4, 2003 - March 25, 2007	4th Republic
Georgina Theodora Wood	[27] June 15, 2007 -	4th Republic

See also

• Judiciary of Ghana
• Supreme Court of Ghana

Notes

References

External links

• List of Judges of the Superior Court of Judicature
• Chapter 11 of the 1992 Ghana constitution:The Judiciary

Order of precedence
Preceded by Speaker of the Parliament of Ghana	Chief Justice of Ghana	Succeeded by ?

Chief Justices of Ghana Nkrumah era Sir Kobina Arku Korsah • J. Sarkodee-Addo Military rule Edward Akufo-Addo† •  Edmund A.L. Bannerman • Samuel Azu Crabbe • Fred Apaloo † •  E. N. P. Sowah Democratic era Philip Edward Archer† •  Isaac Kobina Abban • Edward Kwame Wiredu • George Kingsley Acquah • Georgina Wood † served in both military and democratic eras