FHC CJ, Justice Tsoho, Directs Judges To Refrain From Remote Conduct Of Proceedings Using Technology Without Approval Of CJN

The Chief Judge of Federal High Court, Hon. Justice J. T. Tsoho, has warned the Judges of the Federal High Court to desist from remote hearing of matters by Zoom or any other technological means till the Chief Justice of Nigeria gives directive on that.

This is contained in a circular made available to TheNigeriaLawyer (TNL) dated 29th day of April, 2020 signed by the Chief Judge himself.

He said: “the attention of the Hon Chief Judge has been drawn to the sudden application of Remote Hearing by Zoom technology or other variants to conduct proceedings in the Federal High

“All judges must note that the Federal High Court is NOT INDEPENDENT of the National Judicial Council, which is considering a uniform approach in that regard

“Therefore, all judges of this Court MUST ABIDE strictly by the Directives of the National Judicial Council, under the chairmanship of the Hon., the Chief Justice of Nigeria in the present circumstances.

“Your Lordships are hence strongly advised to refrain from the introduction and application of any technological means (no matter how ingenious and expedient it may seem) to administer justice in the Federal High Court without explicit approval from the Hon. Chief Judge of Nigeria (sic) and as conveyed through the Hon. Chief Judge

“The Honourable Chief Justice of Nigeria, through the National Judicial Council, shall give Directives as appropriate, before such methods can be employed in the exercise of judge’s judicial powers”