Supreme Court nominee, Justice Janapare Bartels-Kodwo, has urged young lawyers not to give up on court practice due to the perceived rude or harsh behaviour of some female judges.
Speaking during her vetting by Parliament’s Appointments Committee on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, Justice Bartels-Kodwo addressed concerns raised by Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin regarding the treatment of young legal practitioners in courtrooms.
“It is unfortunate that people would want to end their entire legal careers because of this,” she said. “It will be unfortunate if a female judge berates a lawyer—be it a junior or otherwise. I have not behaved that way on the bench and I will not encourage it.”
Justice Bartels-Kodwo emphasized that discourteous conduct by judges should not deter young lawyers from pursuing their careers. “If I meet any lawyer who says they have stopped practicing because of such treatment, I will encourage them to go back and not be discouraged.”
In a related response during the vetting, she also weighed in on the constitutional presidential term limit, asserting that the law is unambiguous.
“It is crystal clear—the president cannot hold office for more than two terms, period,” she stated, affirming her adherence to the constitutional provision limiting presidential tenure.
Justice Bartels-Kodwo’s comments have sparked wider discussion about decorum in the courtroom and the need for both respect and resilience within Ghana’s legal profession.
