In a bold move aimed at tightening oversight and enhancing judicial integrity, Acting Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie has centralized the assignment and scheduling of all newly filed cases within Ghana’s superior courts.
According to a circular issued on April 23 by the Deputy Judicial Secretary, registrars of the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, and High Court are now required to forward all fresh filings directly to the Chief Justice’s office for appropriate action.
This sweeping directive, which overrides all previous procedures, places the Chief Justice at the helm of not only assigning cases—especially those involving multiple courts—but also setting hearing dates.
Judicial insiders suggest the move is designed to combat forum shopping, where litigants attempt to steer cases toward perceived favorable judges, and to ensure a more transparent, coordinated court management system.
Legal analysts view the directive as a significant shift in Ghana’s judicial administration, centralizing authority in a way that could improve fairness but also concentrate power at the top of the bench.
The judiciary is expected to roll out further clarifications in the coming days as court staff and legal practitioners adjust to the new system.
