{
  "id": 557391,
  "title": "GBA Protests Recall of Judges During Court Vacation",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/11/gba-protests-recall-of-judges-during-court-vacation",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-11T10:03:55.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Chronicle Ghana",
    "slug": "the-chronicle-ghana",
    "url": "https://thechronicle.com.gh/gba-protests-recall-of-judges-during-court-vacation/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Ghana Bar Association (GBA) has lodged a formal protest over the issuance of warrants requiring certain High Court judges to continue criminal trials during the ongoing court vacation. In a letter to the Judiciary, National President Efua Ghartey explained that three law firms – Zoe, Akyea & Co, Dame & Partners, and Sam Okudzeto & Associates – had received notices from warrants directing specific judges to proceed with their cases despite the vacation period. The GBA expressed concern that this action violated established court rules and professional conventions. The crux of the dispute lies within Order 79, Rule 4 of the High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2004 (C.I. 47), which establishes three annual vacations for the High Court. According to the GBA, the second and longest vacation occurs from 1 August to 30 September, following the busiest term of the legal year. Convention dictates that Vacation Courts – either in-person or virtual – may handle emergency and interlocutory matters during this period, but full trials should not be conducted. The GBA argued that lawyers cannot be compelled to appear before a Vacation Court; if a lawyer indicates unavailability, the case should be adjourned to a date proposed by counsel. Additionally, self-represented litigants should not be forced to proceed in a lawyer's absence during vacation, as the judge should not treat such absence as wilful. The GBA's objection also linked to the introduction of afternoon court sittings this term, citing that many lawyers had pre-arranged commitments, including preparations for after-vacation submissions, travel to other countries, and prior conference engagements. Some firms were even closed entirely during the vacation period. The association framed adherence to the vacation calendar as vital for lawyers' work-life balance and professional wellbeing. The GBA urged the Judiciary to honor these rules and asked that the two referenced petitions – believed to involve the affected firms' cases – be considered favorably, with only adjournment of the recalled matters sought.",
  "summary": "The Ghana Bar Association (GBA) has formally protested the issuance of warrants compelling specific High Court judges to continue part-heard criminal trials during the ongoing legal vacation, arguing the move breaches long-standing court rules and professional convention. In a letter to the Judiciary signed by National President Efua Ghartey, the GBA said three law firms […] The post GBA Protests…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}