Cross River Chief Judge Advises Against Indiscriminate Exparte Orders

The chief judge of Cross River State, Justice Akon B. Ikpeme, has cautioned judges and other judicial officers in the state against issuing indiscriminate experts orders to litigants.

Justice Ikpeme issued the advice on Monday, when he held a crucial emergency meeting with all the judges in the state, upon her return from Abuja.

In a release signed by the Chief Registrar, Edem Okokon, and made available to newsmen on Tuesday afternoon, the Chief judge issued some instructions to the judges in the state as administrative guides for all judicial matters in the state.

The highlights of the meeting included the following instructions, as contained in the release:

“The Chief Judge advised Judges to be wary of issuing indiscriminate ex-parte orders, and she also advised the body of Hon. Judges in the State against the unnecessary assumption of jurisdiction.”

The release further stated that “the Chief Judge further advised that judges should be careful not to continue with matters already handled by courts of coordinate jurisdiction. This is for the attention of all stakeholders in the justice delivery section of the State.”

This is the first meeting of the Justice Delivery System after the return of the Chief Judge from Abuja.