A Visit to the Supreme Court

So even though taking pictures of government buildings here in Ghana is punishable with jailtime, I couldn't resist sneaking a few shots from the hip with my phone while I was at the Supreme Court this week.


You can't read this sign from the distance I photographed it from unfortunately, but it is the sign at the front of the courthouse and it reads:

Justice is NOT for sale!
Justice is your right
Play you role to ensure it
Desist from taking or offering bribes!

The gate in front of the Supreme Court

Ghana Supreme Court 

I went to the Supreme Court on this day in order to try and find some caselaw from the court library. It was ALMOST as frustrating as at the Law Library at the University.

I had to record this conversation for my own amusement. Feel free, though, to skip it as it went on for some time...

I went up to the desk of the Supreme Court Law Library (its a closed library meaning that you can't browse at all, you have to go up to the library office and ask for what you are looking for) and asked the Librarian there if I could see the most recent three volumes of the Ghana Law Reports. He asked me what I was trying to find. I said I needed to read all the most recent family law cases. He said Ah! Yes, I have it right here.

"It?" I asked.

"Yes, I have the family law case" he told me, looking quite pleased with himself.

"Okay, I realise there aren't a lot of family law cases going through the courts, but my understanding is that there are a few reported each year in the Ghana Law Reports, how do I find those?"

"You don't need those. I have the one that you need. Here."

And he proceeded to download it onto my laptop once he realised, with exasperation, that I hadn't brought a flash drive with me.

"Thanks... this is great, really. But just so I'm clear... are you saying there is no other way to get the family law cases other than this one?"

"That's the only one you need. Its the authoritative one. But the rest are all on the database".

"Ah! The database! Yes, that's what I need. Where can I find the database?"

"Oh its privately compiled. Users have to pay for it. But its an excellent service"

"I see... and how much does it cost to get the database?"

"Its quite reasonably priced at only 400 Ghana Cedis"

"And for 400 Cedis we would have access to the database of caselaw for how long?"

"Oh once its put on you computer you have it for good!"

"But what about when new cases come out?"

Blank stare.

"Okay... just out of curiosity, do you know who we would call in order to look into getting the database?"

"Oh that would be me!"




Ah. I shoulda seen that coming.