Legal luminary Tsatsu Tsikata says he deliberately avoids drawing attention to the fact that many judges he appears before were once his students.

He insists that courtroom roles must take precedence over past academic ties.

Speaking recently on PM Express with Evans Mensah, the former lecturer reflected on the unique experience of standing before benches that include judges he once taught and assessed.

“When I’ve appeared before the Supreme Court, even if all of them are my students, I have recognised the importance of not always reminding them that, because, in fact, some of them don’t want to be reminded,” he said.

He stressed that the courtroom demands a strict separation of roles, regardless of personal history.

“But really, on a more serious note, I recognise in the moment that I’m before them that they have their responsibility as judges and I have my responsibility as an advocate before them and I must show respect for their position, regardless of what they were in the past. So frankly, I don’t dwell on the past.”

While some judges occasionally acknowledge his influence, Tsikata made clear he does not encourage it.

“Sometimes they themselves sort of like to acknowledge that, ‘Mr. Tsikata, you taught us and so on.’ But I really don’t like to play that tune too loudly when I’m before them.”

Despite this restraint, the veteran lawyer admitted to moments of pride when observing the work of his former students on the bench, even in cases where rulings go against him.

“I have felt very proud, and there have also been instances where you feel otherwise… I’ve had occasions when, even during the election petition, there were several matters on which they gave rulings and so on, and that is 2013, and some of the rulings didn’t go in our favour.”

Yet he said that respect for judicial reasoning can outweigh personal disappointment.

“But there were occasions when, as you listen to the ruling, even though it didn’t go in your favour, you respected, okay, the way, the reasoning that had gone into it, and even the conclusions that had been reached.”

Tsikata noted that such moments reaffirm confidence in the judiciary, even beyond his direct influence as a teacher.

“And so yes, I felt very proud of many of my students again. I must confess, when I’m in court these days, sometimes I listen to a ruling, and I’m really quite excited.”

He recalled a recent experience outside Accra that left a lasting impression, despite having no connection to the case or the judge.

“Recently, I was in a court outside Accra, I won’t mention which one, and I heard a judge. I didn’t know who she was, but I had a judge read a ruling. I had nothing to do with that case, but I just heard her read a ruling, and the meticulous way in which she proceeded.”

For Tsikata, it was not about whether the decision was right or wrong, but the discipline of the legal reasoning.

“I’m sure that whoever she decided against in that case probably didn’t feel that she had decided rightly, but for me, not knowing, there wasn’t a question of whether she had done the right thing or the wrong thing, but just the way that she articulated her reasons and came to a conclusion was just amazing.”

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I don't make a big deal about that - Tsatsu Tsikata on appearing before judges he taught

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