Pacific / Samoa

Legally trained judges vital for Samoa lands court

10:52 am on 15 July 2016

The Samoa Law Society says judges sitting on the Lands and Titles court in Samoa must have legal training.

The Land and Titles Court is the only court in Samoa which must take customary resolutions into account and does not require its judges to have legal experience.

But public complaints over the Land and Titles Court have led to a parliamentary inquiry.

Photo: 123RF

Samoa Law Society president Savalenoa Mareva Betham Annandale said the lack of legal experience in judges has caused some problems.

"We believe that the people who are sitting in these courts must surely have a thorough and comprehensive understanding of the law and to be able to apply it correctly," she said.

"Because these are some of the issues that come up in those judicial reviews that are currently before the Supreme court in Samoa."