ADR to celebrate Legal Week

Accra, May 27, GNA - The Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) adopted by the Judicial Service of Ghana would celebrate its Legal Year Week, aimed at ensuring that justice is made more accessible, easier, cheaper, non-adversarial, expeditious and flexible to all.

The ADR Week will allow all the courts nationwide to undertake Registrars' Summons pursuant to order 37 Rule 4 of C.I 47 and order 27 r 3 of C.159, to deal with cases that have been abandoned by parties involved for a period of 12 months or a year. A statement signed by Alex Nartey, National ADR Coordinator and copied to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), informed all stakeholders and the general public that this year's legal ADR Week celebration is scheduled for 7th -11th June 2010 on the theme: "Court Connected ADR: Access to Justice made simple for all".

It further said the Chief Justice, Mrs Georgina Wood, in her policy directive on court connected to ADR, set aside the celebration every year to give parties the opportunities to settle their cases through mediation and run programmes and activities to create awareness on the availability of ADR as an option to settle cases faster and cheaper in the courts. The statement said the ADR would commence with a press briefing on Monday June 7, 2010 at the Sekondi District Court premises after which the Media will observe mediation sessions.

"The ADR mechanism would be used to resolve cases in the 31 District Courts connected throughout the week nationwide. Members of the public who have cases pending in the courts are therefore encouraged to contact the Registrars of the District courts to request their cases to be referred for mediation", it added. The statement said as part of preparations towards the programme, 20 to 30 minutes interviews would be held on Radio and TV Stations throughout the country to educate, sensitize and create awareness on the service. It invited the public to visit the courts, the offices of the Regional ADR Coordinators and the National ADR Secretariat within the Supreme Court Building in Accra to learn more about ADR in the Judicial Service. 27 May 10