Architect of modern Ghanaian law reporting, longest-serving Director of the Ghana School of Law, and founder of the Supreme Court of Ghana Law Reports. A life given to the record of the law — now carried forward as a living research portal.
Dr Seth Yeboa Bimpong-Buta was born in Accra on 4 June 1940, the eldest son of Samuel Birikorang Bimpong-Buta and Araba Akyere, of Nyankumasi Ahenkro and Cape Coast. After his primary and middle schooling in Accra, Kumasi and Ejisu, he was educated at Adisadel College and the University of Ghana, Legon, with further study at the University of London — King's College, the LSE and SOAS — and at the Inns of Court School of Law and Gray's Inn in London. He was called to the Ghana Bar in 1967 and to the English Bar at Lincoln's Inn in 1987, and later earned his Doctor of Laws from the University of South Africa.
He began in private practice at the Chambers of Isaac Amissah – Aidoo & Co, but his lasting work began in 1972 at the Council for Law Reporting, where he rose from Law Reporter to substantive Editor of the Ghana Law Reports across twenty unbroken years. From that foundation he founded, edited and published the Supreme Court of Ghana Law Reports — seventeen volumes that became the authoritative record of the apex court.
"The source heavily relied upon by the Ghana Bench and Bar, and law students of Ghana and other countries — and all those engaged in the administration of law and justice in Ghana."
In 1992 he became Director of the Ghana School of Law, its longest-serving Head, a post he held until his retirement in 2005, having lectured there since 1979. Alongside it he served as Executive Director of the Ghana Legal Aid Board and, on secondment under the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Co-operation, edited The Gambia Law Reports. In December 1988 he was among the first seven lawyers — and the first Ghanaian-trained — to be elevated to Senior Advocate of Ghana.
He was an author of standing, his Law of Interpretation in Ghana and The Role of the Supreme Court in the Development of Constitutional Law in Ghana each earning NOMA honours; a publisher through Advanced Legal Publications; a Fellow and Council member of the Ghana Academy of Arts & Sciences; and Vice-President for life of the Commonwealth Legal Education Association. Through 144 weekly Daily Graphic Law Digests he carried the Supreme Court's reasoning to the wider public.
He passed away on 24 August 2018, leaving behind a body of work that continues to guide the practice of law in Ghana.
Called to the Ghana and English Bars; the first Ghanaian-trained lawyer elevated to Senior Advocate of Ghana, in 1988.
Read more →Twenty years at the Council for Law Reporting; Editor of the Ghana Law Reports and founder of the SCGLR.
Read more →The longest-serving Director of the Ghana School of Law, and a lecturer to law students for more than two decades.
Read more →Author of two NOMA-honoured works on interpretation and the Supreme Court — standard texts for bench, bar and faculty.
Read more →Founder of Advanced Legal Publications, bringing the work of distinguished jurists into print.
Read more →A guide to a generation of lawyers and Vice-President for life of the Commonwealth Legal Education Association.
Read more →A man of deep faith and great warmth — a devoted husband, father and grandfather.
Read more →His work now continues online — searchable, studied and applied by a new generation.
Read more →Begins five years in private practice before turning to the reporting and teaching of law.
Law Reporter to substantive Editor of the Ghana Law Reports — twenty unbroken years of service.
The first Ghanaian-trained lawyer to be so elevated by the General Legal Council.
The longest-serving substantive Director and Head of the School; also Executive Director of the Legal Aid Board.
Establishes, edits and publishes the Supreme Court of Ghana Law Reports — seventeen volumes and counting.
On secondment under the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Co-operation, edits and publishes the Gambia Reports.
Conferred by the University of South Africa, Pretoria.
Across institutions and decades, his contribution was to make the law of Ghana more accessible, better organised, more closely studied, faithfully reported, carefully interpreted, and well taught. These are the bodies and works through which that contribution flowed.
As Reporter and then Editor, he helped build the authoritative record of Ghanaian judicial decisions during twenty years at the Council for Law Reporting.
His founding achievement — establishing, editing and publishing the most current and authoritative record of the apex court's decisions.
As its longest-serving Director and a long-standing lecturer, he shaped professional legal training for a generation of advocates.
On secondment under the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Co-operation, he edited and published the Gambia Reports.
As Executive Director, he advanced access to justice for those who could not otherwise afford representation.
President for West Africa and later Vice-President for life — extending Ghanaian legal scholarship across the Commonwealth.
Elected a Fellow and later serving on its governing Council, contributing to national scholarship beyond the law.
On citizenship, constitutional interpretation and the judiciary's role in democracy — bringing legal questions to the wider public.
He helped make the law accessible — organised, studied, reported, interpreted and taught.
For The Law of Interpretation in Ghana, alongside the 1996 Ghana Book Award.
For The Role of the Supreme Court in the Development of Constitutional Law in Ghana.
Later Interim Honorary Secretary and a member of its governing Council.
Among the first seven lawyers, and the first Ghanaian-trained, to receive the rank.
The Commonwealth Legal Education Association, elected in Kenya.
Honoured by the Council for Law Reporting and the Ghana Bar Association for distinguished service.
Every report, digest, book and article — organised, described and made searchable. Browse by collection; open any title for its full record.
The Law of Interpretation in Ghana; The Role of the Supreme Court in Constitutional Law.
The full seventeen-volume SCGLR collection.
144 Daily Graphic Law Digests of Supreme Court decisions.
Contributions to the Review of Ghana Law, Journal of African Law and more.
Including Lectures in Continuing Legal Education for the Ghana Bar Association.
Works by Justices Brobbey and Aikins, and others, published under his imprint.
Materials on the 1992 Constitution and its interpretation by the Supreme Court.
Study resources drawn from his teaching at the Ghana School of Law.
Example · Publication record
The standard text on the principles of interpretation in Ghanaian law — adopted across law faculties and the Ghana School of Law, and relied upon by bench and bar. Recipient of a NOMA Award Honourable Mention and the Ghana Book Award.
Selected pages available to subscribers, with full text under Professional and above.
Bimpong-Buta, S Y, The Law of Interpretation in Ghana (Advanced Legal Publications, 1995).
Linked journal articles and Law Digest entries on interpretation.
Constitutional law · Statutory interpretation · Legal method.
Search the full body of materials by case name, subject matter, statute, constitutional provision, court, judge, year, legal principle, keyword or citation — then open any decision for a structured, plain-language analysis.
Plain-language overview of facts, issue, decision and significance.
The main questions the court was asked to consider.
What the court actually decided.
A structured explanation of how the court reached its decision.
The rules of law extracted from the case.
Linked references to related decisions.
Cross-referenced statutes and constitutional provisions.
Followed, distinguished, questioned or overruled.
How lawyers, students and judges may apply the case.
Ready-formatted citations for legal writing.
The platform extends naturally into mobile and desktop apps — built for the courtroom, the chambers, the lecture hall and the library.
The full portal in your pocket — search, read and analyse adjudicated cases anywhere.
A mobile-friendly case search and analysis tool for quick reference in court or chambers.
Simplified case briefs, flashcards, quizzes and topic-based learning for revision.
Weekly and monthly summaries of recent decisions — in the spirit of his Daily Graphic Law Digests.
"He gave the law its memory — so that justice, once spoken, would never be forgotten."