Francis Korkpor

Francis Korkpor, Sr. is a Liberian lawyer and jurist. He has been the Chief Justice of Liberia since 2013.

Born in the town of Zao, Lao Clan, Nimba County, Liberia, Chief Justice Korkpor's career in public service and the law spans over three decades and includes service as a private lawyer, prosecutor, and Supreme Court Justice.

He earned his bachelor of arts at the University of Liberia in 1976 before going on to earn his criminal justice degree from the North Carolina Justice Academy in the United States of America from 1977-1978. He returned to Liberia after completing his criminal justice program and enrolled at the Louis Arthur Grimes School of law, University of Liberia where he graduated in 1982 with a bachelor of laws degree.

Korkpor entered government as a prosecuting attorney in 1982, the same year he graduated from the Law School. While serving at the Ministry of Justice, he aggressively prosecuted repeated offenders, violent criminals, and public officials who committed ethical defilements or indecencies. His untiring work as a prosecutor in the Department of Litigation earned him promotion to the posts of Assistant Minister for Economic Affairs in 1985 and Assistant Minister for Legal Affairs in 1988, respectively. He served in the latter position until the beginning of the civil war, which made him to travel to the United States of America where he pursued advanced legal education.

Having gained experience in practice as a Counsellor during the early 1980s, Chief Justice Korkpor resigned from government and established the Tiala Law Firm in Monrovia. As a busy private lawyer, Chief Justice Korkpor was a testament to his ability to provide sound legal services to the people of Liberia especially human rights organizations and journalists who were targets of the erstwhile government of President Charles G. Taylor. He also represented the legal interests of several other organizations like the Catholic Church of Liberia. During the period of private practice, Chief Justice Korkpor established himself as one of Liberia’s foremost legal minds and built partnerships and maintains collegiality within the Liberian National Bar Association (LNBA).

Chief Justice Korkpor has five children; four sons and a daughter- Francis Jr., Tom-Wesley, Michael, Wuo-Victor and Tiala. He also has three grandchildren...

Chief Justice Korkpor has pursued a reform agenda for strengthening the third branch of the Liberian government in a number of key areas:

• Office of the Court Administrator
• Creation of the Office of Court Inspectors
• The Judiciary Inquiry Commission & the Grievance and Ethics Committee
• Record keeping and Information Technology
• Regional Justice and Security Hubs
• Infrastructure
• Judicial Training Institute

• Chief Justice, Supreme Court of Liberia

Nominated and confirmed in April 2013; seating on April 18, 2013

• Associate Justice, Supreme Court of Liberia January 4, 2004 to April 17, 2013
• Associate Professor, Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law, University of Liberia 2009-2010
• Assistant Minister, Legal Affairs, Ministry of Justice 1988-1990
• Assistant Minister, Economic Affairs, Ministry of Justice 1985-1988
• Assistant Minister, Litigation, Ministry of Justice 1976-1985

• Bachelor of Arts, Sociology, 1976, University of Liberia, Monrovia
• Criminal Justice diploma, 1978, North Carolina Justice Academy, United States of America
• Bachelor of Law, 1982, Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law, University of Liberia, Monrovia

• Member, West Africa Judges Association (WAJA)
• Member, Chief Justices’ Judicial Council, ECOWAS Community Court of Justice
• Member, Liberia National Bar Association (LNBA)

Born in Zao Town, Lao Clan, Nimba County, Liberia and raised in Sanniquellie, Nimba County, Liberia

Religious Organizations

• Member, Knights of Marshall
• Member, St. Anthony Catholic Church, Monrovia

Children

Francis Jr., Tom-Wesley, Michael, Tiala, Wuo-Victor