The Supreme Court of Sierra Leone is the highest

court A court is any person or institution, often as a government institution, with the authority to Adjudication, adjudicate legal disputes between Party (law), parties and carry out the administration of justice in Civil law (common law), civil, C ...

Sierra Leone Sierra Leone,)]. officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country on the southwest coast of West Africa. It is bordered by Liberia to the southeast and Guinea surrounds the northern half of the nation. Covering a total area of , Sierra ...

. It has final

jurisdiction Jurisdiction (from Latin 'law' + 'declaration') is the legal term for the legal authority granted to a legal entity to enact justice. In federations like the United States, areas of jurisdiction apply to local, state, and federal levels. Ju ...

in all

civil Civil may refer to: *Civic virtue, or civility *Civil action, or lawsuit * Civil affairs *Civil and political rights *Civil disobedience *Civil engineering *Civil (journalism), a platform for independent journalism *Civilian, someone not a membe ...

criminal In ordinary language, a crime is an unlawful act punishable by a state or other authority. The term ''crime'' does not, in modern criminal law, have any simple and universally accepted definition,Farmer, Lindsay: "Crime, definitions of", in Ca ...

, and

constitutional A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organisation or other type of entity and commonly determine how that entity is to be governed. When these princip ...

cases within Sierra Leone, and its decisions cannot be appealed. The Supreme Court has the exclusive

power to overturn ruling of lower courts within the jurisdiction of Sierra Leone. The Supreme Court, along with the Court of Appeals, High Court of Justice, and magistrate courts form the

Judicial branch The judiciary (also known as the judicial system, judicature, judicial branch, judiciative branch, and court or judiciary system) is the system of courts that adjudicates legal disputes/disagreements and interprets, defends, and applies the law ...

of the

Government of Sierra Leone The government of Sierra Leone is the governing authority of the Republic of Sierra Leone, as established by the Sierra Leone Constitution. The Sierra Leone government is divided into three branches: the executive, legislative and the judiciary. ...

. Prior to 1971, there was a right of appeal from the Supreme Court of Sierra Leone to the

Judicial Committee of the Privy Council The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (JCPC) is the highest court of appeal for the Crown Dependencies, the British Overseas Territories, some Commonwealth countries and a few institutions in the United Kingdom. Established on 14 Augus ...

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...

. The Supreme Court of Sierra Leone consists of Supreme Court justices, headed by the Chief Justice. The Judges are nominated by the

President of Sierra Leone The president of the Republic of Sierra Leone is the head of state and the head of government of Sierra Leone, as well as the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces. As the head of the executive branch of the Sierra Leone government, the presi ...

and must be confirmed by the

Parliament of Sierra Leone Parliament of Sierra Leone is the legislative branch of the government of Sierra Leone. It is principally responsible for making laws. The Sierra Leone parliament consists of 146 members, of which 132 members are directly elected from across S ...

by at least 60% majority vote in order to take offic

The Supreme Court building, known as Law Court, is located on Siaka Stevens Street in the

Central business district A central business district (CBD) is the commercial and business centre of a city. It contains commercial space and offices, and in larger cities will often be described as a financial district. Geographically, it often coincides with the " cit ...

in downtown

Freetown Freetown is the capital and largest city of Sierra Leone. It is a major port city on the Atlantic Ocean and is located in the Western Area of the country. Freetown is Sierra Leone's major urban, economic, financial, cultural, educational an ...

Membership

Chief Justices

Desmond Babatunde Edwards Desmond or Desmond's may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Desmond'' (novel), 1792 novel by Charlotte Turner Smith * ''Desmond's'', 1990s British television sitcom Ireland * Kingdom of Desmond, medieval Irish kingdom * Earl of Desmond, Irish a ...

(19 Dec 2018-) *

Abdulai Hamid Charm Abdulai Hamid Charm (born 20 July 1963) is a Sierra Leonean judge, who was formerly the Chief Justice of Sierra Leone until his resignation in December 2018. He is the first Chief Justice of Sierra Leone born outside of the capital Freetown sinc ...

(11 Jan 2016–19 Dec 2018) * Valesius Thomas (2015) (acting

http://www.thesierraleonetelegraph.com/?p=11133] * Umu Hawa Tejan-Jalloh (25 Jan 2008–2015) * Ade Renner Thomas (2005-2008) * Abdulai Timbo (2002–2004) * Desmond Edgar Luke (1998-2002) * Samuel Beccles Davies (1993-1998) * Sheku Fomba Kutub

(1987-1993

* Eben Livesey Luke (1978-198

http://www.ecoi.net/local_link/238687/347862_en.html] *

Christopher Okoro Cole Christopher Elnathan Okoro Cole, CMG OBE (April 17, 1921 – 1990) was a Sierra Leonean politician. He served as Governor-general and President of Sierra Leone for 1 day in 1971. Cole was appointed officer of the Most Excellent Order of the Britis ...

(1970-197

http://www.sierralii.org/sl/judgment/supreme-court/1978/1] *

Banja Tejan-Sie Sir Banja Tejan-Sie (1917-2000) was the Governor General of Sierra Leone and one of the "founding fathers" of the Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP). He was knighted by Her Majesty The Queen, with the most distinguished Order - The Grand Cross of ...

(1967-1968

* Gershon Collier (196

* Sir Samuel Bankole Jones (1963-1965

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/43711/page/6637/data.pdf] * Sir Salako Benka-Coker (1960-

https://books.google.com/books?id=q31SWae8fhIC&pg=PA19&lpg=PA19&dq=Salako+Benka-Coker&source=bl&ots=s1v-Lx-2vn&sig=LN3g3L4PuM_R5oTvUpoB-FVlvnM&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi92p65qMnNAhUgHGMKHaLeCPsQ6AEIJzAC#v=onepage&q=Salako%20Benka-Coker&f=false] * Sir Vahe Robert Bairamian (1957–1959) * Paget Bourke, Sir Paget John Bourke (1955–1957) * Sir Allan Chalmers Smith (1951–1955) * Sir John Alfred Lucie Smith (c.194

* Sir George Graham Paul (1939-1945) * Ambrose Henry Webb (1937-1939) * Sir

Arthur Frederick Clarence Webber Sir Arthur Frederick Clarence Webber (12 March 1873 – 22 December 1952) was a British lawyer and judge who served in British Guiana, Nigeria and Sierra Leone, where he was Chief Justice. Life Arthur Frederick Clarence Webber was born in George ...

(1933-1937

* Sir Mervyn Lawrence Tew (1929-c.1932)

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/33513/page/4360/data.pd

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C8952038] * Sir Gilbert Kenelm Treffry Purcell (1911-1929) * Philip Crampton Smyly (colonial administrator), Sir P. Crampton Smyly (1901-1911) * George Stallard (1897-1901

* Edward Bruce Hindle (1895-1897) (died in office

http://www.genesreunited.com.au/searchbna/viewrecord/bl/0001485/18970330/067/001

http://www.genesreunited.com.au/searchbna/results?memberlastsubclass=none&searchhistorykey=0&keywords=an%20hindle&county=london,%20england&from=1850&to=1899&page=1] * Sir William Hollingworth Quayle Jones (1887-189

https://books.google.com/books?id=YyY5AQAAIAAJ&pg=PA462&dq=sierra+leone+chief+justice+1882&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiTn4zikMvOAhUY5WMKHZwDDMoQ6AEIKDAC#v=onepage&q=sierra%20leone%20chief%20justice%201882&f=false] * Samuel Lewis (barrister), Sir Samuel Lewis (1882, 1884)(actin

(acting) * Francis Pinkett, Francis F. Pinkett (1881, 1882-1887) (died in office) * Sir William Warren Streeten (1880-1881

https://books.google.com/books?id=tFlNAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA248&lpg=PA248&dq=william+warren+streeten+sierra+leone&source=bl&ots=9pz0_icM3a&sig=dhX0Jd8tA1z36nbXYfA0LfgKRE4&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj5nbeghcvNAhVQ6mMKHVgZCHAQ6AEIJjAD#v=onepage&q=william%20warren%20streeten%20sierra%20leone&f=fals

* Horatio James Huggins (1876-1880

* George French (judge), George French (1867-187

* John Charles Carr (1841-1865) * Logan Hook (1841)(actin

https://books.google.com/books?id=dl4SAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA1-PA49&dq=logan+hook+acting+chief+justice&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiWhsbD9crNAhVO6WMKHWWXApcQ6AEIMDAB#v=onepage&q=logan%20hook%20acting%20chief%20justice&f=fals

* Owen Flintoff (1840-1841) (died in office

https://books.google.com/books?id=pLIzAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA1221&lpg=PA1221&dq=owen+flintoff+sierra+leone&source=bl&ots=MCDj14mf09&sig=l8OCIHez6IwKdBUSbsAFXXKv1NM&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwja6vqK98rNAhVG1WMKHR6MA-IQ6AEIGzAA#v=onepage&q=owen%20flintoff%20sierra%20leone&f=fals

* Robert Rankin (1833-1839) (died in office)

http://archive.spectator.co.uk/article/22nd-june-1833/13/cart-before-the-hors

https://books.google.com/books?id=9MUhAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA667&lpg=PA667&dq=robert+richard+rankin+appointed+chief+justice+sierra+leone&source=bl&ots=44qwjmsXkL&sig=e1lz5GKjYIygb-bcBMX3ftunYJY&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwifrpyNpM3NAhUL8WMKHd6SDZYQ6AEILjAD#v=onepage&q=robert%20richard%20rankin%20appointed%20chief%20justice%20sierra%20leone&f=fals

* John Jeffcott, Sir John William Jeffcott (1830-1833) (removed from offic

* George Rendall (1829-1830) * John William Bannister (1828–1829) (died in office)
https://books.google.com/books?id=ZtoKAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA383&lpg=PA383&dq=john+bannister+chief+justice+sierra+leone&source=bl&ots=Jfvpoi7xVx&sig=TRvSiLum4WvCtr7ghThxmekan80&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjOp9bo5vvOAhUC72MKHRHNARAQ6AEIKTAC#v=onepage&q=john%20bannister%20chief%20justice%20sierra%20leone&f=false] * Joseph Reffell (1927) (actin

ref> * Daniel Malloy Hamilton (1824-1826) (died in office

https://books.google.com/books?id=beU9AAAAcAAJ&pg=PA404&dq=kenneth+macauley+acting+chief+justice+sierra+leone&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiv-p7tss3NAhVM8WMKHQwpC1M4ChDoAQg1MAU#v=onepage&q=kenneth%20macauley%20acting%20chief%20justice%20sierra%20leone&f=fals

* Kenneth Macaulay (colonialist), Kenneth Macaulay (1824) (acting

https://books.google.com/books?id=fXN5AgAAQBAJ&pg=PT209&dq=kenneth+macauley+acting+chief+justice+sierra+leone&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiOo4-vss3NAhVP3GMKHVAyCZcQ6AEIIDAB#v=onepage&q=kenneth%20macauley%20acting%20chief%20justice%20sierra%20leone&f=false] * Edward Fitzgerald (1817-1823) (died in office

https://archive.org/details/churchenglandmi00walkgoog/page/n244 ] * Dr. Robert Hogan (1816-1817) (died in office

https://books.google.com/books?id=MsQCAAAAIAAJ&lpg=PA228&ots=TolqapnFXP&dq=dr.%20hogan%20sierra%20leone&pg=PA228#v=onepage&q=dr.%20hogan%20sierra%20leone&f=false] * Robert Thorpe (judge), Robert Thorpe (1808-1815

http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/thorpe_robert_7E.htm

References

External links

*http://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/sierra_leone.htm *http://news.sl/drwebsite/publish/article_200517690.shtml *http://news.sl/drwebsite/exec/view.cgi?archive=1&num=11008 {{British dependencies chief justices, state=collapsed 1960 establishments in Sierra Leone Government of Sierra Leone

Law of Sierra Leone