Africa-Press – Liberia. Key justice sector stakeholders, including judges, lawyers, child protection advocates, and government institutions, have convened in Monrovia to review and validate a draft bill seeking to establish Liberia’s first specialized Family Court—an initiative described as a major step toward improving access to justice for vulnerable groups.
The high-level engagement, organized by the Law Reform Commission in collaboration with the Judicial Branch, was held at the Banquet Hall of the Supreme Court within the Temple of Justice. It brought together a broad coalition of actors tasked with shaping what could become a transformative addition to Liberia’s justice system.
If enacted, the proposed Family Court would exercise jurisdiction over a wide range of domestic relations matters, including child support enforcement, custody and parenting arrangements, divorce proceedings, guardianship issues, and domestic violence protection orders—areas currently handled within the general court system.
Chief Justice Yamie Quiqui Gbeisay described the validation session as “a defining moment in the history of the Judiciary,” noting that it marks a significant milestone in efforts to create a more responsive and specialized justice framework.
“As you may be aware, the establishment of a family court for greater access to justice by our mothers, our wives, our sisters, our children, our uncles, our siblings, and others was one of our commitments to the Liberian people during our confirmation hearing at the Liberian Senate,” Chief Justice Gbeisay said.
The initiative stems from a commitment made by the Judiciary, which subsequently established a multi-stakeholder committee to begin the process of drafting the legislation. The committee was chaired by Juvenile Court Judge Lucia Anderson and included representatives from the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, the Liberian National Bar Association, the Association of Female Lawyers of Liberia, and civil society organizations.
Chief Justice Gbeisay praised the committee’s work, stating that it “performed brilliantly and submitted a meaningful draft.” He explained that, recognizing the Judiciary’s limited mandate in lawmaking, the draft was forwarded to the Law Reform Commission for technical review and further refinement.
Providing context for the reform push, Bornor Varmah highlighted longstanding structural gaps within Liberia’s justice system, particularly in the handling of family-related cases.
“For decades, Liberian families have been forced to navigate a general justice system that is fundamentally ill-equipped to address the sensitive and complex nature of family disputes,” Varmah noted.
He emphasized that cases involving divorce, child custody, domestic violence, inheritance, and juvenile welfare require not only legal expertise but also discretion, specialized procedures, and an understanding of the social and emotional dynamics involved elements often lacking in the current system.
In the absence of a dedicated Family Court, such matters are processed alongside criminal and commercial cases, a situation Varmah said has resulted in delayed justice, limited confidentiality, and outcomes that do not always protect the best interests of children and vulnerable individuals.
“This mismatch has left families vulnerable to delayed justice, public exposure of private matters, and outcomes that fail to protect the best interests of children and other vulnerable parties,” he added.
The validation session represents a critical step toward finalizing the draft legislation before it is forwarded for consideration by the National Legislature. If passed into law, the Family Court would mark a significant shift in Liberia’s justice delivery system, introducing a specialized, more humane approach to resolving family disputes.
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