ILAC Report Liberia, December 2003 ILAC is a global organisation, established and based in Sweden. ILAC is a consortium of NGOs throughout the world with experience in provi- ding technical legal assistance in post-confl ict situations. ILAC´s more than 30 member organi- sations represent over 3 million judges, prosecutors, lawyers and academics. ILAC Head Offi ce Box 22082, SE-104 22 Stockholm, Sweden Phone +46 8-545 714 20 Fax +46 8-517 110 77 www.ilac.se TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Acronyms ..................................................................................................................... v Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................vi Chart of Recommendations........................................................................................................ix I. INTRODUCTION A. Background............................................................................................................................ 1 B. History of Liberia.................................................................................................................... 3 C. General Observations............................................................................................................ 4 Destruction of Infrastructure....................................................................................................... 4 Corruption ................................................................................................................................. 4 Strategic Planning and Donor Coordination .............................................................................. 4 Gender Issues............................................................................................................................ 5 Available Talent.......................................................................................................................... 5 Transitional Government............................................................................................................ 5 II. JUDICIAL SYSTEM ............................................................................................................... 6 A. History ................................................................................................................................. ..6 B. Structure of Existing Judicial System..................................................................................... 6 Constitutional Structure.............................................................................................................. 7 Judicial Council .......................................................................................................................... 7 C. Court Structure ...................................................................................................................... 7 Courts of First Instance.............................................................................................................. 7 Justice of the Peace................................................................................................................. 8 Magisterial Courts .................................................................................................................... 8 Appellate Jurisdiction for Courts of first instance...................................................................... 8 Specialised Courts (not of record...............................................................................................9 Courts of Record: Circuit Courts and Specialised Courts........................................................... 9 Circuit Courts ........................................................................................................................... 9 Specialised Courts of Record................................................................................................. 10 Supreme Court. ....................................................................................................................... 10 Traditional Courts..................................................................................................................... 10 D. Judges at Each Level or Instance........................................................................................ 11 Courts Not of Record ............................................................................................................... 11 Circuit Courts and other courts of record.................................................................................. 12 Supreme Court......................................................................................................................... 12 Generally.................................................................................................................................. 12 Diversity ................................................................................................................................. 12 Training .................................................................................................................................. 12 Assignment of Cases ............................................................................................................. 13 Tenure.................................................................................................................................... 13 Security.................................................................................................................................. 13 Impartiality.............................................................................................................................. 13 Ethics ...................................................................................................................................... 14 E. Prosecutors.......................................................................................................................... 15 Magisterial Courts .................................................................................................................... 15 Circuit Courts ........................................................................................................................... 15 Caseload.................................................................................................................................. 15 Training .................................................................................................................................... 16 Progress of Matters.................................................................................................................. 16 Backlog .................................................................................................................................... 16 ii Use of External Lawyers .......................................................................................................... 16 Perception of Professionalism.................................................................................................. 17 Conviction Rate........................................................................................................................ 17 Guidelines/Discretion ............................................................................................................... 17 F. Public Defenders.................................................................................................................. 17 G. Police .................................................................................................................................. 18 III. COURT ADMINISTRATION AT EACH INSTANCE ............................................................ 18 A. Management........................................................................................................................ 18 B. Facilities............................................................................................................................... 18 C. Equipment ........................................................................................................................... 18 D. Legal Resources.................................................................................................................. 19 E. Dissemination of legal opinions ........................................................................................... 19 F. Efficiency.............................................................................................................................. 19 G. Budget and Salaries ............................................................................................................ 19 H. Transcript of Court Proceedings .......................................................................................... 19 I. Decisions............................................................................................................................... 20 IV. JUDICIAL POWERS........................................................................................................... 20 A. Jurisdiction........................................................................................................................... 20 B. Reversal of Court Decision .................................................................................................. 20 C. Judicial Procedure..............................................................................................................