Wednesday, 18th September 2025
A Dying Tradition: How the Absence of Law Reports is Suffocating Cameroon’s Common Law System
By Junior Fru Nsoh, Legal PractitionerBAMENDA – In the courtrooms of Bamenda, Buea, and beyond, a quiet crisis is unfolding—one that threatens the very foundation of justice for millions in Cameroon’s Anglophone regions. The Common Law system, a cornerstone of our legal heritage, is being slowly suffocated not by malice, but by neglect. The culprit? A near-total absence of reliable, accessible law reports.For the uninitiated, Common Law is built on the doctrine of precedent, known in Latin as stare decisis. This principle simply means that courts are bound to follow the rulings of higher courts in previous cases. It is the bedrock of legal predictability, ensuring that like cases are treated alike. But what happens when these crucial rulings are never published? When they vanish into the dusty archives of court registries, inaccessible to the very lawyers and judges who need them?The answer is a justice system plunged into uncertainty. “We are practicing in the dark,” laments a seasoned advocate in Buea who wished to remain anonymous. “How can I advise a client on their chances in court if I cannot research how similar cases were decided? It becomes a gamble, not a science.”The consequences are dire and multifaceted. Without a consistent body of case law, judges are left to interpret statutes from scratch in each case, leading to conflicting rulings on identical legal issues. This not only undermines public trust in the judiciary but also stagnates the natural evolution of the law. Landmark judgments that could shape jurisprudence for generations are stillborn, lost to bureaucratic inertia.For the practicing lawyer, this situation is crippling. Case law is to a lawyer what a staff is to a blind man—an essential tool for guidance and support. Without it, the lawyer stumbles, unable to confidently navigate the legal path for their client. This deficiency creates an uneven playing field, where outcomes can be influenced by who has better personal access to unreported judgments rather than the rigorous application of legal principle.A Direct and Actionable SolutionWhile the ultimate responsibility lies with the state, we can no longer wait. The solution—an Efficient Transcription Centre (ETC) with a centralized, searchable online database—is clear and achievable. However, its implementation requires immediate funding and initiative.Therefore, we issue a direct call: The Cameroon Bar Association, or alternatively, a dedicated association of lawyers from the North West and South West Regions, must take the lead in funding and establishing this vital project. This is a cause that directly impacts the efficacy of every Common Law practitioner. By pooling resources, we can initiate a pilot program to systematically report judgments, demonstrating the will and providing a model for the state to eventually adopt and expand.This is more than an administrative task; it is an investment in the survival of our legal tradition and the quality of justice we deliver.A Call to the Legal CommunityThe time for passive complaint is over. The onus is now on us. We call upon the leadership of the Bar and upon our respected colleagues to form a coalition, to contribute expertise, and to allocate funds for this foundational project.The Common Law system in Cameroon is at a crossroads. One path leads to its continued erosion. The other, forged by our own decisive action, leads to its revitalization. For the sake of our profession and the rule of law, we must choose to act.Let us fund the solution ourselves.
Junior Fru Nsoh is a Legal Practitioner with a focus on constitutional law and the administration of justice. The views expressed herein are entirely his own
