PHOTO: Judge Yamie Gbeisay
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
TEMPLE OF JUSTICE, Monrovia- The sixth Judicial Civil Law Court A Judge Yamie Quiqui Gbeisay has asserted that enforcement of Court Judgement Remains a Major Challenge for the Judiciary Branch of government something that is adding insult to injury.
As Judges, Lawyers and others speak about some of the ethical and other integrity problems bedeviling the country’s judicial sector, there is a physical side to the challenges, as was observed on Monday with the roof of of the Civil Law Courts A and B leaking and ceiling tiles gradually falling.
Amidst the situation, Judge Gbeisay made a strong remark at the opening of the June 2021 term of the Civil Law Court, a short while after his colleague of Civil Law Court annex B delivered his charge on behalf of both Courts.
According to Judge Gbeisay, Liberia is the only country that has gone down in history as lawless country in the world, attributing it to several factors: the way how drivers behave in the streets; how people behave to one another; and worst of all, lawyers who should dispense justice are the ones sending justice to the great beyond.
The Civil Law Court ‘A’ Judge claimed that lawyers are in the constant habit of disobeying court Judgement, especially when the ruling goes against them.
But Judge Gbeisay warned that this time round, there will be no mercy for any lawyer who will disobey his court order.
He threatened to send to jail with no regrets any lawyer who will disobey his court order, adding that the objective of both lawyers and judge is to dispense justice.
Judge Gbeisay, who is referred to as “no nonsense Judge”, also complained about the interference of some Justices of the Supreme Court of Liberia, who usually called him when he is punishing a lawyer who has disobeys the court.
The Civil Law Court ’A’ Judge disclosed that there was a particular time where he put a lawyer on the prisoner bench and he received a call from the Supreme Court to put the person outside, something he said that is also contributing to the non-enforcement of Court Judgement.
“This country is a country of law and order indicating that the law and order are not only meant for Ministers, Judges or public officials but meant for every citizens within Liberia,” Judge asserted.
“If this Country is a country of law and order, and those who practice law and dispense justice are not obeying, what happens to the ordinary people?” Judge Gbeisay added.
Judge Dunbar promises huge fines for noncompliant Lawyers
For his part, Civil Law Court annex ‘B’ Judge Scheaplor R. Dunbar, who delivered the charge on behalf of both Civil Law Courts, said lawyers will be heavily fined for coming to court late.
Judge Dunbar’s charge delivered was primarily focused on Rule 21 of the Code Moral and Professional Ethics as found on Page 5 of their amended and revised rules of court.
Rule 21 of the Code and Moral Professional Ethics of their amended and Revised rules of Court states:
It is the duty of lawyers to be punctual in his attendance to court, and to be prompt and faithful in answering assignments received by him/ her notifying the time for hearing of his/ her cases clients’ case. It is also his duty to the public and to his profession to avoid tardiness in the performance of his professional duties.
The Civil Law Court annex ‘B’ Judge warned all lawyers who are in the constant habit of deliberately lying to their clients to give them money and about issuance of assignments immediately to stop adding that judges of these courts do not ask or demand any money from lawyers in order to assign cases.
Judge Dunbar: “Do not tell your clients that you need money to see the judge for an assignment and Do not lie on us judge Dunbar warned lawyers.”
Meanwhile, Judge Dunbar has maintained that it is unethical for a lawyer to charge a client far more than what is the reasonable cost of superintending an assignment.