Employ Research Officers to read all judgments of Superior Courts- SC Justice charges Law Reform Commission

“We urge all other sectors especially the Law Reform Commission to employ research officers to read all the judgments of the Superior courts"

Is allowance instantly strangers applauded

A Justice of the Supreme Court of Ghana, Justice Jones Mawulorm Dotse has suggested to the Law Reforms Commission to endeavor to employ research officers who should be tasked with the reading of all judgments of the Superior Courts.

He notes that on a daily basis, these courts make suggestions for reforms that will aid the work of the Commission.

“We urge all other sectors especially the Law Reform Commission to employ research officers to read all the judgments of the Superior courts because on a daily basis, we make suggestions for reforms and this will aid your work.

“For example, the Property Rights of Spouses till now has not been passed even though it is a constitutional requirement.”

Speaking as a representative of the Chief Justice at the launch of the Law Reform Commission Fund and the Legal Aid Fund at the High Court Complex Auditorium in Accra on Wednesday, August 10, Justice Dotse noted that the fund will facilitate quick changes in the work of especially the Law Reform Commission per the fact that suggestions for law reform are made by the courts on a daily basis.

Additionally, he said that per the Judiciary’s work of practicalizing the statutes, they sometimes see the stuck realities and the injustices that flow from some of the existing statutes or precedents.

He also revealed that late last year, the Supreme Court made sweeping suggestions to the Attorney General in a case in which it was representing one of the security agencies.

To this, he said the party wrote about ten letters to enable them to file their Statement of Defence but the AG never responded thus the party went ahead and received a default judgment but at a critical stage, the AG managed to set aside those proceedings.

As a result, Justice Dotse was full of praise for the AG that those reforms which they suggested had been crystallized into Regulations soon to be passed.

The Law Reform Fund

Establishment of the Law Reform Fund

10. There is established under this Act the Law Reform Fund.

Objects of the Fund

11.The objects of the Fund are

(a) to undertake projects for the development and reform of laws,

(2') to develop human resource in law reform, and

(c) for any other purpose that may be determined by the Board.

Sources of money for the Fund

12. The sources of money for the Fund are

(a) moneys approved by Parliament,

(1') moneys accruing to the Commission in the performance of its functions,

(c) donations, grants and gifts, and

(d) any other moneys that are approved by the Minister responsible for Finance.