By Charles Gbayor,charlesmenlor@gmail.com
HARPER, Liberia –A Public Defender wants the Legislature to make law that give Government lawyers jurisdiction over civil cases in the rural parts of the country.
Attorney Joshua Odoi at the Fourth Judicial Circuit Court of Maryland County underscored the need for statutory Pro bono services law for courts across Liberia.
He said it is civil cases that give rise to criminal cases in the Liberian society and that such a law would minimize the number of criminal cases.
The Defense Lawyer said criminal cases have often been given more attention than civil cases at courts across the country.
He spoke recently at the 4th Judicial Circuit in Harper, Maryland County during programs marking the November Term of Court.
The Circuit Court opened with 13 criminal cases, mostly theft of property and 14 civil cases on the docket.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with www.newspublictrust.com on the sideline of the opening of the November Term of Court in Harper, the Project Officer of the Cater Center Pro bono Services, Mr. Michael Biddle stressed the need for the 4th Judicial Circuit to construct a facility of its own and leave the County’s Administrative Building.
The Carter Center operates in eight counties supporting people, mainly women who go to court without lawyers in search of justice.
In a separate development, the Superintendent of the Harper Central Prison, Mr. Chrispin T. Doe is calling for the relocation of the correction facility due to overcrowding.
He attributes this partly to the fact that it also serves Grand Kru County.