# Chief Justice of Liberia

The chief justice of Liberia is the head of the judicial branch of the Government of the Republic of Liberia and the chief judge of the Supreme Court of Liberia.

## Appointment and term

Article 54(c) of the Constitution stipulates that the chief justice is appointed by the president of Liberia and confirmed by the Senate. Per Article 68, eligibility for the position of chief justice requires that the candidate:
* Be a citizen of Liberia;
* Be of good moral character;
* Have been a counselor of the Supreme Court Bar for at least five years.
Article 71 states that the chief justice "shall hold their offices during good behavior." According to Article 72(b), the chief justice must retire from office upon reaching the age of 70, though he may remain on the Court long enough to render judgment or perform any judicial duties regarding matters he began addressing before reaching that age.

## Duties

In addition to acting as head judge on the Supreme Court and managing all subordinate courts, the Constitution provides several duties to the chief justice. In the case of impeachment of the president or vice president, Article 43 mandates that the chief justice preside over the trial in the Senate. Additionally, Article 53(a) requires the chief justice to swear in the president in front of a joint session of the Legislature.

## Removal from office

The chief justice may be removed from office upon impeachment by the House of Representatives and conviction by the Senate. Article 71 of the Constitution stipulates that the chief justice may only be removed in the event of "misconduct, gross breach of duty, inability to perform the functions of their office, or conviction in a court of law for treason, bribery or other infamous crimes." In the event of an impeachment trial of the chief justice in the Senate, the president of the Senate presides over the proceedings.
Only one chief justice, Chea Cheapoo, has been removed in this manner.

## List of chief justices

Source:

### Status

| No. | Name (Birth–Death) | Tenure | Nominated by President |
| 1 | Samuel Benedict (1792–1854) | 1847–1854 | Joseph Jenkins Roberts |
| 2 | John Day (1797–1859) | 1854 – 15 February 1859 | Joseph Jenkins Roberts |
| 3 | Boston Jenkins Drayton (1821–1865) | 1861–1864 | Stephen Allen Benson |
| 4 | Edward James Roye (1815–1872) | 1865–1868 | Daniel Bashiel Warner |
| 5 | C. L. Parsons | 1869–1894 | James Spriggs Payne |
| 6 | Zacharia B. Roberts | 1895–1910 | Joseph James Cheeseman |
| 7 | James A. Toliver | 1911–1913 | Arthur Barclay |
| 8 | J. J. Dossen (1866–1924) | 1913–1924 | Daniel Edward Howard |
| 9 | F. E. R. Johnson | 1924–1933 | Charles D. B. King |
| 10 | Louis Arthur Grimes (1883–1948) | 1933–1948 | Edwin Barclay |
| 11 | H. Nimine Russell | 1949–1956 | William Tubman |
| 12 | A. Dash Wilson (1898–?) | 13 March 1958 – 1970 | William Tubman |
| 13 | James A. A. Pierre (1908–1980) | 1971 – 12 April 1980 | William Tubman |
| — | Emmanuel Gbalazeh (1934–2009) | April 1980 – 15 January 1986 | People's Redemption Council |
| 14 | James N. Nagbe | 16 January 1986 – 18 June 1987 | Samuel Doe |
| 15 | Chea Cheapoo (1942–2020) | July 1987 – 2 December 1987 | Samuel Doe |
| 16 | Emmanuel Gbalazeh (1934–2009) | 28 January 1988 – September 1990 | Samuel Doe |
| — | James G. Bull | 1992–1996 | Amos Sawyer |
| — | Frances Johnson-Morris | 1996–1997 | Ruth Perry |
| 17 | Gloria Musu-Scott | 1997–2003 | Charles Taylor |
| — | Henry Reed Cooper (1940–2023) | 2003–2006 | National Transitional Government |
| 18 | Johnnie Lewis (1946–2015) | 3 March 2006 – 18 September 2012 | Ellen Johnson Sirleaf |
| 19 | Francis Korkpor (born 1952) | 18 April 2013 – 27 September 2022 | Ellen Johnson Sirleaf |
| 20 | Sie-A-Nyene Yuoh | 27 September 2022 – present | George Weah |