By Morkporkpor Anku
Accra, April 16, GNA – The Judicial Service has developed new Practice Directions and Administrative Guidelines to promote ethical behaviour by Judicial Service Staff and Judges.
The Directions and Guidelines are Practice Directions on Commercial Pre-Trial Settlement under order 58 as amended by CI 133, Practice Directions in Respect of Prerogative Writs Involving Chiefs and Chieftaincy Issues, Practice Directions on Award of Cost, Practice Directions on Plea Bargaining, Practice Directions on Adjournments and Adoption of Proceedings in Part Heard Trials and Practice Directions on Court Connected ADR under Order 32 as Amended by CI 133.
The rest are Practice Directions for Determination of Applications for Injunctions to restrain Burial of a Deceased Person, Administrative Directions to Aid Expeditious Disposal of Trial by Jury, Administrative Guidelines on Using the Supreme Court Registry, Administrative Guidelines on Generation of Suit Numbers, Administrative Guidelines for procedures For Online publication of judgments and rulings and Administrative Guidelines on Court room Proceedings.
The Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo made this known at the launch of an initiative dubbed “LEADing Justice”, a strategic framework for increasing Legality, Ethics, Assets, Digitalisation, and due process in justice delivery.
She said the purpose was to increase transparency, competence, due process, and integrity in court work.
“I earnestly do not think that when dealing with such a national responsibility as justice delivery, anyone can even move fast when walking alone,” she said.
She said that was why the Judiciary sought partners in developing effective programmes for culture change, and other interventions that would increase ethical models of work in the Judicial Service.
GNA