By Verity News Staff Reporter
GBARNGA – Acting President of the Bong County Bar Association, Atty. Jeremiah Dugbo I, has urged judges and other judicial actors to apply the law fairly and consistently, saying equal treatment before the courts is necessary to restore public confidence in the judiciary.
Dugbo made the call while responding to the Judge’s Charge during the official opening of the November Term of Court at the 9th Judicial Circuit Court in Bong County.
He said restoring public confidence in the justice system should not be left to judges alone, adding that every person working within the justice system has a role to play.
According to him, the law must be applied in a predictable manner so that people appearing before the courts can have confidence that similar cases will be treated alike.
“The law must be predictable, as predictability fosters public trust and confidence in the justice system,” Dugbo said.
He also stressed that cases involving similar facts and legal issues should receive consistent treatment. He warned that treating people differently without a sound legal reason goes against the constitutional guarantee of equal protection under the law.
Dugbo said the courts must ensure that no one is treated unfairly because of who they are, as equal treatment is central to public confidence in the administration of justice.
Meanwhile, the official court opening also marked the formal transfer of the administration and operation of the Liberian National Bar Association (LNBA) Legal Aid Clinic in Gbarnga to the Bong County Bar Association.
The clinic is expected to help indigent and vulnerable people in Bong County who cannot afford the cost of legal services to access legal assistance.
Dugbo welcomed the transfer and thanked the President of the Bong County Bar Association and his fellow members for their support and commitment to promoting the rule of law and access to justice.
The development adds to ongoing efforts by the legal community to make legal services more accessible to people who need assistance but lack the financial means to secure it.
