CRIMINAL ASSIZES “A”
1ST JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, MONTSERRADO COUNTY
REPUBLIC OF LIBERIA
His Honor Roosevelt Z. Willie
Resident Circuit Judge
1st Judicial Circuit
Criminal Court “A”
Temple of Justice
| Clerk of Court | Contact Number | |
| Gabriel J. Smith | 231886233005 / 231776070477 | gabrieljabanah@gmail.com |
Jurisdiction: The Criminal Court “A”, 1st Judicial Circuit Court of Montserrado County, exercises original jurisdiction over criminal matters in Montserrado County except other crimes such as sexual base violence (rape, statutory rape, gang rape, etc), theft and armed robbery related matters.
The Court is the only Circuit Court with the responsibility for indictment by and thru the empaneled Grand Jury for Montserrado County. All criminal matters are filed before criminal Court “A”. The court then forwards all such files to the office of the County Attorney for Montserrado County for indictment to be drawn against the accused/defendants. Following a grand jury indictment, the court will arrange the files as per related cases and forward them to each of the criminal courts that have jurisdiction over them for the preparation of their dockets.
Cases that are triable before Criminal Court “A” are; Murder, Criminal Attempt to Commit Murder, Sedition, Extradition, Arson, kidnapping, manslaughter, Negligent Homicide, Reckless Driving resulting to death, to name a few.
Appointment and tenure of Circuit Judge: The President shall nominate and with the consent of the Senate, appoint and commission the Circuit Judge of the 1st Judicial Circuit who shall be resident Judge. He/she shall hold office during good behavior or on attaining the age of 70.
Opening dates of the 1st Judicial Circuit Court: The 1st Judicial Circuit shall meet four times a year in quarterly sessions, opening their quarterly sessions on the second Monday in February, May, August, and November in each year. The quarterly sessions of this Circuit shall be entitled the February, May, August and November Terms of court.
Duration of each Term: Ten days before the opening of each quarterly session, there shall be a pre-trial chamber session to be held by the circuit judge assigned to sit during the quarterly sessions which shall immediately be followed by a trial session beginning with the opening of each quarterly session and continuing for forty-two consecutive days not including Sundays and legal holidays unless sooner terminated because all business before the court is disposed of before the expiration of that period. Immediately following the close of the trial session there shall be a ten-day closing chamber session to be held by the judge assigned to sit for the quarterly session and any judge concurrently assigned to the circuit.
The Criminal Court “A”, 1st Judicial Circuit Monsterrado County shall be considered always open for adjudication of matters over which it has jurisdiction and for the purpose of filing any pleading or other papers authorized by rule or statute, of issuing and returning mesne and final process and of making and directing all interlocutory motions, orders and rules. Wherever they are present within the circuit, the Circuit Judge assigned to a Circuit Court, during his assignment and the pre-trial chamber session prior thereto, concurrently with the resident judge thereof, shall have authority to act on all matters coming before the court; and if neither is available, then except for the trial of an action and any motions in connection therewith which may be made during and after such trial or any motion for an order that would dispose of the action, in whole or in part, in any manner other than the settlement of an action or claim involving an infant or judicially declared incompetent, all other matters may be heard by the presiding judge of the Circuit Court adjoining the circuit where the action is triable.
The Criminal Court “A”, 1st Judicial Circuit Montserrado County oversees the functions of a total of Eleven (11) Magisterial Courts and three (3) Specialized Courts located across the county.
COURTS OPERATING WITHIN THE 1ST JUDICIAL CIRCUIT
| COURT | JUDGE | LOCATION |
| Criminal Court “A” 1st Judicial Circuit | 1. His Honor Roosevelt Z. Willie Resident Circuit Judge | TEMPLE OF JUSTICE MONROVIA |
| MAGISTERIAL COURTS | ||
| i. Monrovia City Magisterial Court | His Honor Lavallah Ben Barco (Acting Stipendary)
His Honor Andrew Bropleh (Associate) His Honor Lasana Kamara (Associate) |
TEMPLE OF JUSTICE, MONROVIA |
| Bushrod Island Magisterial Court | His Honor John L. Griggs (Acting Stipendiary)
His Honor Borbor S. Gartor (Associate) |
Bushrod Island |
| iii. Clay-Ashland City Magisterial Court | His Honor Augustine T. Togba (Acting Stipendiary) | CLAY-ASHLAND CITY |
| iv. Arthington Magisterial Court | His Honor Mustapha M. Massaquoi (Associate)
Her Honor Gregory J. Klon (Associate) |
ARTHINGTON CITY |
| v. Bensonville Magisterial Court | His Honor Quency A. Q. Garnett (Acting Stipendiary)
Her Honor Emma D. Kolubah (Associate) Her Honor Annie K. Kollie (Associate) |
BENSONVILLE |
| vi. Careysburg Magisterial Court | His Honor James F. Dudu (Acting Stipendiary)
Her Honor Elizabeth D. W. Woah (Associate) |
CAREYSBURG CITY |
| vii. West Point Magisterial Court | His Honor Jomah S. Jallah (Acting Stipendiary)
His Honor Thomas T. Garlo (Associate) His Honor James Ngafua (Associate) |
WEST POINT TOWNSHIP |
| viii. Gardnersville Magisterial Court | His Honor Patrick G. Tamba (Acting Stipendiary)
His Honor Klade V. Wilson (Associate) Her Honor Ernestine Dowie (Associate) |
GARDNERSVILLE TOWN HALL |
| ix. Brewerville Magisterial Court | His Honor Ernest F. B. Bana (Acting Stipendiary)
His Honor Fallah J. Matthews (Associate) Her Honor Geraldine T. Talawally (Associate) |
BREWERVILLE CITY HALL |
| Paynesville City Magisterial Court | His Honor William G. Saygar (Acting Associate)
His Honor Ferkerson Aneya (Associate) His Honor Marvin Bah (Associate) |
PAYNESVILLE CITY HALL |
| Omega Magisterial Court | Her Honor Victoria G. Duncan (Acting Stipendiary)
Her Honor Bendu Kiawu (Associate) His Honor Rapheal E. Donokolo (Associate) |
OMEGA COMMUNITY, PAYNESVILLE CITY |
| Todee Magisterial Court | His Honor Emmanuel A. Ports, Sr. (Stipendiary)
Her Honor Wade A. Howe (Associate) |
TODEE TOWNSHIP |