Supreme Court of Liberia
Encyclopedia
The Supreme Court of Liberia is the highest judicial body
in the West African nation of Liberia
. The court consists of the Chief Justice of Liberia
and four Associate Justice
s, who are nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate
. The justices hold court at the Temple of Justice on Capitol Hill in Monrovia
.
signed on January 5, 1839. Subsequent constitutions continued to authorize a supreme court, with the 1984 Constitution as the most recent version. Powers and structure of the court are determined by Article VII of the 1984 constitution. The Supreme Court is granted original jurisdiction
over constitutional questions by the Constitution of Liberia
. The court has appellate jurisdiction
over other matters with the next lowest court being the 15 courts of the Circuit Court.
Headed by the Chief Justice, it is the highest body of the country's Judicial Branch. All justices are nominated by the President of Liberia and confirmed by the national Senate. The Chief Justice also serves as the top official of the Judiciary. The Supreme Court also has original jurisdiction for cases in which the country is a party and for those issues where ministers or ambassadors are involved.
Supreme court
A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of many legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, instance court, judgment court, high court, or apex court...
in the West African nation of Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
. The court consists of the Chief Justice of Liberia
Chief Justice of Liberia
The Chief Justice of Liberia is the head of the judicial branch of the Government of the Republic of Liberia and the chief judge of the Supreme Court of Liberia.-Appointment and term:...
and four Associate Justice
Associate Justice
Associate Justice or Associate Judge is the title for a member of a judicial panel who is not the Chief Justice in some jurisdictions. The title "Associate Justice" is used for members of the United States Supreme Court and some state supreme courts, and for some other courts in Commonwealth...
s, who are nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate
Senate of Liberia
The Senate of Liberia is the upper house of the bicameral legislative branch of Liberia, and together with the House of Representatives comprises the Legislature of Liberia...
. The justices hold court at the Temple of Justice on Capitol Hill in Monrovia
Monrovia
Monrovia is the capital city of the West African nation of Liberia. Located on the Atlantic Coast at Cape Mesurado, it lies geographically within Montserrado County, but is administered separately...
.
Jurisdiction and structure
The court was originally authorized by the 1839 Constitution of the American Colonization SocietyAmerican Colonization Society
The American Colonization Society , founded in 1816, was the primary vehicle to support the "return" of free African Americans to what was considered greater freedom in Africa. It helped to found the colony of Liberia in 1821–22 as a place for freedmen...
signed on January 5, 1839. Subsequent constitutions continued to authorize a supreme court, with the 1984 Constitution as the most recent version. Powers and structure of the court are determined by Article VII of the 1984 constitution. The Supreme Court is granted original jurisdiction
Original jurisdiction
The original jurisdiction of a court is the power to hear a case for the first time, as opposed to appellate jurisdiction, when a court has the power to review a lower court's decision.-France:...
over constitutional questions by the Constitution of Liberia
Constitution of Liberia
The Constitution of Liberia is the supreme law of the Republic of Liberia. The current constitution, which came into force on 6 January 1986, replaced the Liberian Constitution of 1847, which had been in force since the independence of Liberia...
. The court has appellate jurisdiction
Appellate jurisdiction
Appellate jurisdiction is the power of the Supreme Court to review decisions and change outcomes of decisions of lower courts. Most appellate jurisdiction is legislatively created, and may consist of appeals by leave of the appellate court or by right...
over other matters with the next lowest court being the 15 courts of the Circuit Court.
Headed by the Chief Justice, it is the highest body of the country's Judicial Branch. All justices are nominated by the President of Liberia and confirmed by the national Senate. The Chief Justice also serves as the top official of the Judiciary. The Supreme Court also has original jurisdiction for cases in which the country is a party and for those issues where ministers or ambassadors are involved.
Justices of the Liberian Supreme Court
- Johnnie LewisJohnnie LewisJohnnie N. Lewis is the 18th and current Chief Justice of Liberia. A native of Sinoe County, Lewis was educated at the University of Liberia in Monrovia and at Yale Law School in the United States. Before his appointment to the Supreme Court, he served as a judge in Liberia’s circuit court...
, Chief Justice - Francis Korkpor, Associate Justice
- Kabineh Ja'neh, Associate Justice
- Jamesetta Howard Wolokollie, Associate Justice
- Philip A. Z. Banks, III, Associate Justice