MONROVIA – The Liberian Senate Statutory Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights, Claims and Petitions is set to begin confirmation proceedings for Chief Justice-designate Yamie Q. Gbeisay on Monday, July 14, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. in the Senate Chambers. The nomination of Justice Gbeisay follows the retirement of Chief Justice Sie-A-Nyene G. Yuoh, who reached the constitutional age limit of seventy on June 26.
Justice Gbeisay, currently serving as Associate Justice on the Supreme Court of Liberia, was nominated by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai in a formal communication to the Senate on June 30, 2025. The President invoked Article 54(c) of the 1986 Constitution, which authorizes him to appoint justices, and cited Article 72(b), which mandates retirement upon reaching the age of seventy.
In his nomination letter, President Boakai described Justice Gbeisay as a distinguished jurist with “exemplary integrity, profound legal acumen, and a strong commitment to upholding the rule of law and the Constitution.” The President called on the Senate to give the nomination prompt attention in order to ensure continuity in the judiciary’s leadership.
The confirmation hearing will offer Senators an opportunity to assess Justice Gbeisay’s qualifications and hear his vision for the future of the Supreme Court. If confirmed, he would assume leadership at a time when the Boakai administration is prioritizing judicial reform and the strengthening of institutional independence.
Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Cllr. Augustine S. Chea, encouraged the public to closely follow the confirmation proceedings. He reaffirmed the Senate’s commitment to transparency, political neutrality, and independence in fulfilling its constitutional oversight duties.
Justice Gbeisay’s elevation would mark a continuation of his long service to Liberia’s judicial system. His nomination comes at a critical juncture for the country’s rule of law and governance agenda.
Chief Justice Sie-A-Nyene Yuoh’s departure concludes more than two years of service at the helm of the Supreme Court. Appointed by former President George M. Weah in 2022, she was the second woman to serve as Chief Justice in Liberia’s history and was widely credited with advancing judicial independence and constitutional order.
