[Pictured: The Adenta Court Complex housing the Adenta District, Circuit and High Courts]

Visits by The Law Platform to courts designated to pilot the Court Shift System show that the policy of afternoon sittings by some selected courts is fully operational with early signs of successes as anticipated per the objectives of the policy spearheaded by Her Ladyship the Chief Justice, the learned Gertrude Sackey Torkornoo.

This is a progressive development from the initial start date of the policy. The full implementation of the policy coincides with efforts by the Chief Justice to digitalize proceedings of the District courts. At the La District court for example, the courtroom has now been fitted with computers and monitors for real time capturing of court proceedings. Same applies to the District Courts at the Adenta Court Complex. Added to the digital recording system at the La District Court is the installation of Air conditioners creating a much convenient ambience for courtroom work.

Checks conducted by The Law Platform suggest Afternoon Shift Judges have been dispatched to the afternoon shift courts. At the Adenta High Court, the afternoon shift Judge handles afternoon shift cases from both Adenta High Court 1 and 2.

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Additional staff have also been dispatched for afternoon court duties at some of the courts designated for the Shift System. At the Adenta High Court, two fresh officers have been dispatched to augment the work of afternoon shift staff. At the Madina District Court, some officers of the docket section and other sections of the court registry have been assigned duties pertaining to only afternoon shift cases.

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Easing Pressure on the Court

In a letter dated the 14th day of March, 2024, the Judicial Secretary, Her ladyship Justice Cynthia Pamela stated the speedy hearing of cases, maximization of court resources and reduction of court case load as the grounds for the piloting of the Court Shift System which is a novel measure to tackle case overload and slow pace of court cases.

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Interviews conducted with some staff of the designated courts for the Shift System indicate a gradual easing of the pressure on the court from case buildup. The Law Platform also gathers the sense of less pressure on staff of the piloting courts. The reduced pressure on the staff is attributed to the afternoon shift court and staff who have now taken over some of the cases of the court as it originally was.