The Ghana Bar Association (GBA) has appealed to Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie to ensure that judges respect the established rules and traditions governing Ghana’s legal vacation.
In a letter dated Monday, August 10, the GBA said the legal vacation, which runs from August 1 to September 30, is intended to provide judges, lawyers and judicial staff with a break from the demanding court calendar.
The association acknowledged that Vacation Courts may continue to sit during the period, particularly dealing with urgent and interlocutory matters. However, it maintained that Vacation Courts have traditionally not conducted trials, especially where the absence of counsel could affect a party’s effective participation in proceedings.
The GBA therefore argued that when a lawyer has formally informed the court that they are unavailable during the vacation, the case should be adjourned rather than proceeding without the lawyer.
The association stressed that lawyers are not compelled to appear before Vacation Courts and said proceedings should not continue when counsel on either side has indicated an inability to attend.
The intervention follows complaints from three law firms over notices directing their lawyers to appear before judges to continue hearing part-heard criminal cases during the current legal vacation.
According to the GBA, such directives undermine the purpose of the vacation and depart from established judicial practice.
The association has consequently called on the Chief Justice to ensure that judges adhere to the established traditions, arguing that doing so would preserve the purpose of the legal vacation while allowing lawyers to participate effectively in the administration of justice.
