The High Court of Justice, Kogi State, is poised to unveil a new Civil Procedure Rules to guide court proceedings, effective from the next legal year. The Chief Judge of Kogi State, Hon. Justice Josiah Majebi, made the disclosure during the inauguration of the second quarter Appeals Session of the Court at the judiciary headquarters in Lokoja.

The new rules, reviewed by a committee headed by Hon. Justice Abdul Awulu, have addressed all necessary grey areas in the existing rules. However, the Chief Judge noted that the implementation of the new rules requires certain mechanisms which would be put in place before the expiration of the current legal year.

During the presentation of the reviewed rules, the Committee Chairman highlighted key areas that have been improved upon including the abolition of pre-trial conferences, virtual proceedings, e-filing, improvements in probate administration, general review of fees, and the adoption of Alternative Dispute Resolution in certain matters.

These changes were designed to respond to the requirements of contemporary adjudication in courts with similar jurisdictions.

The Chief Judge appreciated members of the review committee, which also included representatives of the Nigerian Bar Association and the state’s Ministry of Justice. He emphasized the importance of collaboration between the judiciary and the Bar in ensuring the smooth operation of the court.

He urged lawyers appearing before the panels to abide by procedural ethics during the appeal sessions, asking them to prioritize timely justice delivery and support the judges to ensure cases are disposed of within stipulated time frames.

He noted that the judges made significant sacrifice of relocating to the various courts they were posted across the state for the success of the appeals session and wanted lawyers to complement that by making quick dispensation of justice their mantra.

According to him, the inauguration of the Appeal Session marks a significant step in the state’s judiciary’s efforts to enhance the administration of justice and ensure timely delivery of justice.

He noted that the new Civil Procedure Rules, would further improve the High Court efficiency and effectiveness in dispensing justice fairly to the people. In the same vein, Justice Majebi acknowledged the presence of students of the law school who were in the state on attachment from various campuses of the school across the country.

While encouraging them to pay attention and learn from the proceedings during the appeals session, he hinted on the importance of proper dressing and professionalism when he hosted them in his Chambers. The Appeal panels would be sitting in six judicial divisions of the state with two panels each in Lokoja, Ankpa, and Idah.

They would hear a total number of 75 cases, mostly fresh, as the CJ said the quarterly Appeal Sessions have significantly disposed the backlog of cases he inherited. Justice Majebi assured the Bar that the rule of law, fairness and justice would always prevail in all adjudicatory processes of the state.