Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie has urged legal scholars to subject Supreme Court judgments to rigorous and independent scrutiny, saying constructive criticism is essential to the development of Ghana’s law and the administration of justice.

He said judicial decisions should not bring legal debate to an end, stressing that scholars have a responsibility to examine judgments, test the reasoning behind them and contribute to the development of legal principles.

Justice Baffoe-Bonnie made the call on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, at the University of Ghana School of Law in Accra, where two new legal publications were launched.

They are the Ghana Supreme Court Review and Administrative Law in Ghana, the first publications in a new series by the University of Ghana School of Law.

‘Respect For Judiciary Must Not Mean Silence’

The Chief Justice said criticism of judicial decisions should not be viewed as an attack on the authority of the courts.

Rather, he said, independent academic examination could expose weaknesses, test legal reasoning and help strengthen the development of Ghanaian jurisprudence.

“Respect for the judiciary must not be confused with silence,” he said.

He urged academics to assess judgments based on their legal merits rather than the political identities or affiliations of the people involved in cases.

According to him, the courts play an important role in resolving disputes, but their decisions should remain open to serious scholarly discussion.

Administrative Law And Protection Of Citizens

Justice Baffoe-Bonnie also highlighted the importance of administrative law in protecting citizens from unfair, unreasonable or arbitrary decisions by public institutions.

He referred to Articles 23 and 296 of the 1992 Constitution, which respectively require administrative bodies to act fairly and reasonably and provide safeguards against the arbitrary exercise of discretionary power.

He cited a case involving students of Notre Dame Secondary School whose examination results were cancelled and who were barred from sitting examinations for three years without being given a fair opportunity to respond.

The Supreme Court intervened in the case, upholding the principles of natural justice.

The Chief Justice said the case illustrated how administrative law extends beyond legal theory and can directly affect the lives and rights of ordinary citizens.

UG Pushes For Ghana-Focused Legal Scholarship

Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Professor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, said universities had a responsibility to produce scholarship grounded in Ghana’s realities while connecting academic research with professional practice, public policy and governance.

She described the launch of the publications as an opportunity to strengthen legal scholarship produced in Ghana and deepen engagement between academics and practitioners.

Professor Amfo urged members of the university community and the legal profession to read, debate, cite and teach the publications so they can contribute meaningfully to legal education and practice.

Dean of the University of Ghana School of Law, Professor Peter Atupare, said Ghanaian legal scholarship should draw more strongly from the country’s own constitutional and legal experience rather than relying heavily on ideas developed elsewhere.

He described the Ghana Supreme Court Review as “a mirror, not a stone”, explaining that its purpose was to provide space for critical examination of the Court’s decisions without undermining its authority.

Professor Atupare disclosed that the review received more than 40 submissions, with about 32 rejected as part of the editorial process to maintain academic standards.

More Legal Publications Planned

The Administrative Law in Ghana publication contains 14 contributors and 23 chapters organised into six parts covering key principles and practices in administrative law.

The School of Law is also expected to publish additional Ghana-focused legal texts covering areas including constitutional law, company and commission law, conflict of laws, and land and immovable property law.

The publications are intended to serve as research and reference materials for students, judges, lawyers and public officials while contributing to the development of scholarship rooted in Ghana’s legal and constitutional system.