Following the money: Understanding forum shopping and the ‘Justice Marketplace’ in Sierra Leone

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

Abstract / Description of output

Monetary expenses are said to prohibit poor rural litigants from accessing official justice institutions, which are often concentrated in urban centres, thus pushing these litigants towards customary forums. At the same time, the alternative customary courts have been shown to cost more than formal justice institutions such as official magistrates courts. This article examines the economics informing litigants’ choices of judicial forums to contribute to a new analysis beyond state-centred legal pluralism. It argues that how money features in cases at barrays – the unofficial, unrecognised, customary courts in the capital city of Sierra Leone – not only explains why ordinary people engage with (extra)legal processes, but also demonstrates how justice is understood and (re)produced in practice.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)328-350
JournalSocial and Legal Studies
Volume33
Issue number3
Early online date22 Aug 2023
DOIs
Publication statusE-pub ahead of print - 22 Aug 2023

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

  • barrays
  • customary law
  • forum shopping
  • justice
  • Sierra Leone
  • unofficial courts

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