‘It should have been negotiated’ – Dafeamekpor on lawyers’ dispute with CJ over vacation hearings
The Majority Chief Whip, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, says the dispute between some lawyers and the Chief Justice over hearings during the legal vacation could have been resolved through negotiation rather than formal petitions.
In a recent interview with JoyNews’ Newsfile, Majority Chief Whip Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor expressed his belief that the ongoing dispute between certain lawyers and the Chief Justice over vacation hearings could have been avoided through negotiation rather than formal petitions. South Dayi MP Dafeamekpor stated that it is not uncommon for cases to extend over the legal vacation and for lawyers to discuss with judges how to proceed with their cases.
He explained that a lawyer facing concerns about conducting a full hearing during the vacation could approach the judge and propose a limited number of hearings before the matter is adjourned until October, when the new legal year begins. Dafeamekpor suggested that such an approach could have been utilized in the cases currently at the heart of the dispute.
He further mentioned that lawyers could potentially benefit from holding cases during the vacation as expedited hearings could shorten the time a client spends in litigation. Nigerian law firms had reportedly complained about notices mandating their lawyers to attend hearings during the current legal vacation. Although the Ghana Bar Association appealed to Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie to ensure judges follow the established rules and traditions around legal vacations, the Chief Justice rejected the notion that lawyers could avoid participating in cases simply because they are scheduled during the vacation.
Written by urgent.news from MyJoyOnline Ghana's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
