Serving as keynote speaker at the celebration of International Law Day on Friday, May 2, 2025, at the Ministerial Complex, former Chief Justice, Gloria Musu Scott, emphasized the need to respect the judicial authority of the Supreme Court and protect its independence as the apex court and final arbiter of justice in the Republic.
In an extemporaneous speech, which took the form of an interactive lecture, Justice Scott pointed out that the Constitution of Liberia protects judges and justices from being penalized for judicial decisions or judgements they tender and, as such, the practice of law, which is protected by the Constitution, should not be exposed or subjected to political discourse that undermines the independence of the Judiciary, particularly the Supreme Court.
“The framers of the Constitution realized that the practice of law is leadership,” she observed.
Justice Scott emphasized that the entire bar is an institution of leadership and, therefore, lawyers, so highly trained, have to be careful, sober, deliberate and intentional, as they guide the process of leadership.
Amid cheers and nodding from the audience, she noted that lawyers cannot and should not advise their clients to disrespect the Supreme Court, adding that “whether or not we like the opinion, whether or not we believe that the opinion includes all the facts, it’s the opinion of the Supreme Court; the Supreme Court is our country devil, we cannot undress it in public,” she maintained.
The former Chief Justice further reminded her audience that politics is not static but transient. “Today it is this way and tomorrow it is that way, and therefore, no lawyer should advise his or her client to disobey the court because the Code of Conduct for lawyers bars them from doing anything that undermines the authority and independence of the court.
Justice Scott further stated that the leadership of the bar must understand the context in which they operate because they are expected to play a role and know when to say what and where.
She said the matter of the impasse at the House of Representatives has passed the judicial stage and is now at a political stage, a point at which comments and commentaries on the matter, especially from lawyers, could be construed as politically driven.
Meanwhile, Justice Gloria Musu Scott has reiterated how surprised and grief-stricken she still is over the burning of the Capitol Building, a symbolic structure of Liberia’s democratic foundation, no matter the political, or whatever, differences.
She cautioned Liberians, including lawyers and judicial actors, to help maintain and protect the peace of the country, underscoring that when there is chaos no lawyer can get client.
