Let civility guide your reaction to court rulings - Dame tells lawyers

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Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Godfred Dame, has advised lawyers not to denigrate the judiciary when court rulings do not go in their favour.

According to him,

Read full articlelawyers must rather be the strong protectors of the bench rather than persons bastardizing it.

Citing examples of how President Akufo-Addo and Dr. J.B Danquah responded in civil manners to verdicts that did not go in their favor, he said lawyers should strive to learn from such examples.

“I note that Dr. J.B Danquah’s only reaction to a judgment in Re: Akoto, which posterity has actually adjudged to be obnoxious was, "I’m grateful." President Akufo-Addo’s only reaction to the 2013 election petition which some scholars perceived to be wrong was, "Even though I disagree with it, I accept it."

“Such is the time-honored civility in law practice that we should all aspire to observe at any time. As covered by the topic, the judiciary is indeed the last line of defense in any democracy.

“The history of this country has shown that it only the judiciary, the only arm of government that survives an overthrow of the constitution. It indispensability to our lives, therefore, goes without saying; lawyers ought to be the loudest and strongest defenders to the independence , integrity and importance of the judiciary rather than serving as tools for its destruction,” he said.

Godfred Dame further urged the judiciary to take strong stance on persons who bastardize the courts.

“Such disreputable practice on the part of some lawyers further becomes an inducement to persons who are not members of the legal profession to launch even more savage and illogical attacks on the judiciary.

“This conduct is clearly despicable as it has the ultimate tendency to destroy the integrity of institutions of justice delivery in Ghana. Such conducts should result in sanctions inflicted on the lawyers in question,” he added.