The Supreme Court
The Supreme Court is the highest Court in the administration of justice in Ghana.
The Court is presided over by the Chief Justice and in his absence the most senior of the Justices of the Supreme Court, as constituted shall preside. Judges who sit in the Supreme Court are referred to as Justices of the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court consists of the Chief Justice and not less than nine Justices. It has exclusive original jurisdiction in all matters relating to the enforcement or interpretation of the 1992 Constitution. It also has supervisory jurisdiction over all the Courts in Ghana. It is located only at the Headquarters in Accra.
The Court of Appeal
It is the second highest Court in the hierarchy of the Superior Courts.
Judges who sit in the Court of Appeal are referred to as Justices of the Court of Appeal. As the name implies, all appeal cases from the High Courts, Regional Tribunals and Civil appeals from Circuit Courts are brought to the Court of Appeal.
It also hears appeals from some of the administrative bodies including Commissions of Inquiry set under the Constitution. It is therefore, purely an appellate Court.
It has no original jurisdiction. A panel of three duly constitutes the Court of Appeal. Currently, the Court of Appeal is located in Accra (for the southern sector) and Kumasi (for the Northern sector)
The High Court
The High Court is the third highest Court in the hierarchy of the Superior Courts. Judges who sit in the High Court are referred to as Justices of the High Court.
It is duly constituted by a single Judge, unless the Court is required to sit with jurors or assessors. It has original jurisdiction in all civil and criminal matters. It also has appellate jurisdiction in appeals from the District Court and criminal appeals from the Circuit Court. It has supervisory jurisdiction over all lower Courts in the country.
It has exclusive jurisdiction for the enforcement of the Fundamental Human Rights enshrined in the 1992 Constitution. It is located throughout the regional capitals in Ghana. The High Court has divisions. It has Criminal Division, Land Division, Divorce and Matrimonial Division, Probate and Administration Division, Labour Division, Human Rights Division, Commercial Division, Financial Division, General Jurisdiction among others.
The Circuit Court
Judges who sit at the Circuit Court are referred to as Circuit Court Judges.
The Circuit Court has jurisdiction in civil actions. However, there are restrictions on most of its values. It also has jurisdiction in all criminal matters other than treason and offenses punishable by death. Furthermore, it has jurisdiction in matters involving custody of children. Circuit Courts are located in the regional and some district capitals of Ghana.
The District Court
The District Court is the lowest in the hierarchy of all Courts in the country and it makes the largest number of Courts. The Family Court, Juvenile Court, and Motor Court are all District Courts and NOT District Magistrate Courts. They are located in most Districts in Ghana and are presided over by Magistrates.
SOURCE: Judicial Service of Ghana
