Ghana Legal System and Legal Methods- A Core Text Book for LLB Students
Major Dadzie Books, Accra, Ghana, 2019
Posted: 16 Oct 2019
Date Written: September 30, 2019
Abstract
Ghana Legal System and Legal Method is a module which is crucial foundation for all the other disciplines of law that a law student is required to pursue in all law faculties and schools in Ghana. Nevertheless, it is a discipline which has received inadequate attention by text writers and legal academics in Ghana. It was quite reassuring when our late learned friend Professor Quansah authored the maiden edition of Ghana Legal System about a decade ago. While saluting Professor Quansah for his pioneering work, we wish to emphasis that our present work is quite broader in range of topics covered. A monumental feature of this core textbook is that the two traditional aspects of the module namely Ghana Legal System as well as Legal Method have all been accorded significant space in our coverage of the topics. There is today a very real interest in law and in our legal system. What is it that constitutes our law? What are the institutions which enable our legal system to operate? Can our law and its legal system be improved? The answers to these questions are absolutely important. For whom are those answers vitally important? They are important for: law students, students in a wide range of studies including politics, environment, accountancy, commerce, engineering, and many others, officers entering the civil service, chief executive officers, and managers, in statutory bodies, local government, commerce and industry, persons starting a career in management, persons running their own small business, and generally anyone interested in learning about the system of law and of government under which we live and work. It is the purpose of this book to set out in plain language what such an enquirer needs to know about the law, its institutions, and its operation.
More importantly, a good comprehension of the Ghana legal system and Legal Method requires knowledge and skill in a number of disciplines. Undoubtedly, Ghana Legal System itself is the product of developments in history, law, economy, politics, sociological change. A detailed knowledge of several areas of law is indispensable, but students are also expected to appreciate the historical development of many legal institutions, and the social and political debates which surround legal issues. It is also important to understand the legal theory underlying policies on matters as diverse as the sources of law, classification of law, law relating to arrest, search and seizure, civil litigation, the distribution of work among different types of court, the legal profession, judicial review of administrative discretion, the operation of the doctrines of precedent and statutory interpretation, alternative dispute resolution, legal aid, legal writing, legal English. Being proficient in this subject also means being familiar with contemporary changes and proposed changes. This book aims to assist law students in the achievement of a good understanding of the law, its institutions, processes and techniques.
Keywords: Ghana, Legal System, Legal Method, Civil Litigation, Criminal Procedure, Sources of Law, Judicial Precedent, Statutory Interpretation, Ghana Supreme Court, Legal Aid, Access to Justice, Customary Law
JEL Classification: K
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation