Chief Justice Sie-A-Nyene G. Yuoh has withdrawn public defenders from the magisterial courts across Liberia for reasons best known to her.
The Chief Justice declared that the withdrawal of public defenders is a move poised to transform the landscape of legal representation in the nation.
Chief Justice Yuoh whose action was not done through a written communication to public defenders at the magisterial courts, immediately ordered the withdrawal of the lawyers and commanded them to represent clients at the circuit courts level.
Legal luminaries have argued that the removal of public defenders from the magisterial courts will delay the ability of party litigants or low-income individuals to receive adequate legal representation, possibly worsening existing inequalities within the judicial system.
Legal experts are worried that the withdrawal could lead to a significant backlog of cases and an increase in wrongful convictions.
The Chief Justice action is in line with re-branding the Judicial Branch of Government as part of her plans which may be in the interest of streamlining the judicial process and improving overall efficiency.
It is reported that the Chief Justice ordered the Coordinator of Public Defenders, Cllr.T. Joseph B. Debblay, to call his men from all magistrate courts and return to the circuit courts.
With the Chief Justice’s order, Cllr. Debblay wrote a brief memo to public defenders commanding them to leave all magisterial courts and return to their office of the Public Defenders.
Debblay’s notice to his colleagues which subjects states re- assignment reads: “By directive of Her Honor Sie-A-Nyene G. Yuoh, Chief Justice of the Honorable Supreme Court of Liberia, all Public Defense Lawyers assigned in the Magisterial Courts of Montserrado County are to report to the man office of the Public Defenders as of Tuesday, October 1, 2024, for reassignment at the Circuit Courts. This should claim the attention of all concerned.”
The reasons for withdrawing defense lawyers from the magisterial courts is yet to be known after making frantic efforts by this media outlet.
As the country navigates these stormy waters, all eyes are on the Government of Liberia to respond to the potential insinuations for the rule of law.
