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Global Programs
May 2017 Field ​Study
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Aimee Kline

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Aimee Kline

Aggie Law Class of 2018

GHANA:
Land Use Conflicts and Access to Justice

Visiting Civil Court — Opportunity to Learn about Ghana’s Legal System
by Aimee Kline
   
Anti-corruption court sign3L Megan Reed and blogger 3L Aimee Kline pose with an anti-corruption sign in the Law Courts Complex. Signs designed to prevent corruption can be found all around Ghana.
Many law students have the opportunity to intern in courtrooms in Texas while they are attending Texas A&M University School of Law. As part of the ​Global Programs field trip to Ghana, students were able to visit criminal and civil courtrooms in Ghana.

Visiting civil court gave the students the opportunity to compare the legal system in the United States with the legal system in Ghana.

The students on this trip quickly noticed some similarities and differences between the courts in the United States and Ghana.

The lawyers in Ghana were using similar names for documents such as motion for joinder, motion for summary judgment and motion for default judgment. The witness had to be sworn in before testifying. There was also a bailiff.

The main difference between the courtroom in Ghana and in the United States was the difference in technology. In some instances, the judge had to create their own record using pen and paper.

While technology is developing in countries like Ghana, the courts are not as equipped with this technology as the courts in the United States. The judges spoke about how the country is working to increase the technology that they use in their courtroom.

In the years to come it will be interesting to see how the courtroom evolves with technology.

The hands-on experience was very beneficial to the students who were able to go on the global field trip to Ghana. The opportunity to participate in a global field trip gave the students at Texas A&M University School of Law the opportunity to test their knowledge of many different subjects. The students were able to consider subjects like evidence, civil procedure and criminal procedure.

This is an opportunity that students would not have in a normal classroom.

Ghana court police2L Morgan Parker, blogger 3L Aimee Kline, 3L Megan Reed, 3L Elan Moore, 3L Taylor Wood, 2L Sami Henson and 2L Elizabeth Ramey with policemen at the Law Courts Complex.


Ghana Law Courts ComplexInaugurated in 2015, the Law Courts Complex in Accra is home to the High Court. It ​​has 43 courtrooms operating under four registries: Land Court, Human Rights Court, Commercial Court and General Jurisdiction Registries. Facilities include a library, ADR Secretariat, Judicial Training Institute, and a medical clinic for judges, staff and court users.
Law Courts entrance"Equal Justice Under The Law" adorns the Law Courts Complex entrance.
Ghana judiciary with groupAggie Law students and faculty meeting with judges of the Accra judiciary; attorney Kwabena Adu-Kusi (on far left), Justice of the High Court Rebecca Siti (in gray jacket), Justice of the Court of Appeals Sir Dennis Adjei (holding banner), and Justice of the High Court Kwasi Anokye Gyimah (on far right). 
court plaqueQuote displayed in the Law Courts Complex. Appointed to the Supreme Court of Ghana in 1995, Justice George Kingsley Acquah served as Chief Justice from 2003 until his death in 2007.
   
See more photos of the Aggie Law students' exploration of Accra, Ghana, including visits to Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, Independence Square, Ussher Town Street Mall & Makola Market, and Villagio Vista (click on any photo to enlarge it):
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