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GBA urges Chief Justice to halt trials during legal vacation
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The Ghana Bar Association (GBA) has urged Chief Justice Justice Paul Baffoe Bonnie to stop the conduct of selected trials during the ongoing legal vacation.
In a letter dated August 10, 2026, the GBA said it had received petitions from the law firms Zoe, Akyea & Co, Dame & Partners and Sam Okudzeto & Associates over notices requiring some lawyers to appear in court for part heard criminal cases during the vacation.
The Association maintained that the legal vacation, which runs from August 1 to September 30, is intended to give judges, lawyers and judicial staff a period of rest after the longest term of the legal year.
According to the GBA, Order 79 Rule 4 of the High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2004, CI 47, provides for three legal vacations each year, with the second vacation being the longest.
The Association explained that, by convention, certain courts are designated as Vacation Courts to deal with urgent matters during the period.
It noted, however, that such courts traditionally handle emergencies and interlocutory matters and do not conduct trials.
The GBA further pointed out that virtual courts operating during the legal vacation also follow the same principle and do not conduct trials.
The Association said lawyers were not obliged to appear before a Vacation Court if they were unavailable during the vacation.
“Once Counsel in a matter indicates their unavailability to attend Court during the vacation,” the GBA stated, the court cannot proceed with the case where counsel on either or both sides are unable to attend.
It stressed that an accused or other party to a trial should not be forced to represent themselves simply because their lawyer is unavailable during the legal vacation.
The GBA said judges should instead adjourn such cases to dates proposed by the lawyers.
The Association expressed concern that compelling lawyers to conduct trials during the vacation could create the impression of bias or selective justice.
It noted that lawyers had already worked extended hours during the legal year, including under the newly introduced afternoon court sittings.
The GBA added that some lawyers had scheduled professional engagements in other jurisdictions, while some law firms had closed for the entire vacation period.
National President of the GBA, Mrs. Efua Ghartey, therefore appealed to the Chief Justice and the Judiciary to respect the rules and long-standing traditions governing legal vacations.
The Association said it remained committed to working with the Judiciary to ensure the speedy delivery of justice and expressed confidence that the petitions brought before the Chief Justice would be favourably considered.
By:Jacob Aggrey
The Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, has announced plans to introduce a new Bill to strengthen the legal framework for the discipline of lawyers in Ghana.
In an address read on his behalf by the Deputy Attorney-General at the opening of the 2026 Conference of the Ghana Bar Association, Dr. Ayine disclosed that the Bill is headed to Cabinet for review and approval before being laid before Parliament.
The proposed law, to be called the Legal Profession (Practitioners Standards Board) Bill, is expected to transform and strengthen the regulatory framework for disciplining lawyers to safeguard the rights of practitioners and promote public confidence in the profession.
According to the Attorney-General, when passed, the Bill will establish an independent Disciplinary Committee with clear rules of procedure and proposals on proportionate sanctions.
He explained that this marks a progressive departure from the existing framework where the Disciplinary Committee both investigates and adjudicates complaints. The Bill also proposes clear and strict procedural timelines for resolving grievances to avert prolonged deliberations that frustrate both clients and lawyers.
Secondly, Dr. Ayine noted that under the current framework, Superior Court judges sit on the Disciplinary Committee whose decisions, as quasi-judicial decisions, are subject to reviews and appeals in the same courts where these judges preside.
The new Bill seeks to eliminate this conflict of interest by creating a separately constituted Board composed of lay non-lawyers and professional representatives with guaranteed tenure.
The Attorney-General added that the Bill seeks to separate professional discipline from executive, judicial or competitive interference to ensure that disciplinary mechanisms are not weaponized against lawyers by clients, the Bench, or the State.
The introduction of the new law forms part of efforts by the Attorney-General to introduce reforms into the legal profession aimed at revolutionizing legal practice and training. It follows the passage of the Legal Education Act, 2026, which is currently at the implementation stage.
News
Gov’t did not approve market near school — Stan Dogbe clears air on Ahafo Ano South market siting
Deputy Chief of Staff, Stan Xoese Dogbe has reacted to a viral video raising concerns about the siting of a market close to a school in the Ahafo Ano South District of the Ashanti Region.
In a post responding to the video, Mr. Dogbe said he has been in contact with the Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr. Frank Amoakohene, who he said is on top of the situation and has long since halted the construction process.
According to him, the decision to designate the said land near the school for the market was not a government decision.
“Once the development was brought to the RCC’s attention, the regional minister immediately asked that the process be stopped,” he stated.
Mr. Dogbe explained that the community currently has no available land space for the construction of the model market, which necessitated their choice of the location near the school.
He noted however that the community has been asked to find another, more suitable piece of land for the project to commence.
“We thank all for the interest in developmental issues in our communities,” he added.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
