The Supreme Court of Nigeria’s new rules for 2024, which come into effect on August 1st, 2024, contains Statutory Instrument No. 21 of 2024, which repeals and replaces the previous Supreme Court Rules from 1985.
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The new rules, issued under the authority of the Supreme Court Act, Cap. S15 Laws of the Federation 2004, provide updated definitions and procedures for Nigeria’s highest court. Key terms defined in the rules include “appeal”, “appellant”, “applicant”, “cause”, “Chief Justice”, “Presiding Justice”, “Chief Registrar”, and “registrar”.
According to the rules, an appeal means the entry of an appeal after the record of the case has been transmitted from the lower court. The appellant is defined as the party appealing the lower court’s decision. The Chief Justice refers to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, while a Presiding Justice is any Supreme Court justice assigned by the Chief Justice to preside over a court sitting.
The rules also establish a Rules of Court Advisory Committee to oversee the implementation of the new procedures. The Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court will continue to manage the court’s administrative functions.
Legal experts say the new Supreme Court Rules are intended to modernize and streamline the operations of the apex court. The previous rules had been in place for nearly 40 years. The 2024 rules incorporate best practices and aim to improve efficiency and access to justice at the highest level of Nigeria’s judiciary.
The Supreme Court Rules, 2024 were officially published in the government’s gazette and take effect on August 1, 2024. The full text of the statutory instrument is available from the Supreme Court Registry.
Supreme Court Rules, 2024 Bill
S. I. No. 21 of 2024
SUPREME COURT ACT, CAP. S15 LFN, 2004
SUPREME COURT RULES, 2024
[1st Day of August, 2024]
Order I – General Definitions
- Commencement
These Rules may be cited as the Supreme Court Rules, 2024 and shall come into force by notification in the official Gazette. - Repeal
The Supreme Court Rules, 1985 are repealed. - Interpretations
In these Rules, unless the context otherwise requires:- “Act” means Supreme Court Act, Cap S15 Laws of the Federation 2004, or any other Act amending or replacing it.
- “Appeal” means entry of appeal after the record of appeal has been transmitted from the Court below.
- “Appellant” means a party appealing from a decision or applying for leave on behalf thereof and includes the Legal Practitioner retained or assigned to represent them in the proceedings before the Court.
- “Applicant” means any person who makes an application to the Court for an order.
- “Bailiff” means a person authorised to serve Court processes and carry out such other functions as the Court may, from time to time, assign to them, and includes any special Bailiff appointed by the Court.
- “Cause” includes any action, suit, or other proceedings between an Appellant and a Respondent or an Applicant and a Respondent; or between a Plaintiff and a Defendant when the original jurisdiction of the Court is invoked.
- “Chief Justice” means the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN); or a Justice of the Supreme Court acting for him or in his stead.
- (a) “Presiding Justice” means any Justice of the Supreme Court duly assigned by the Chief Justice to preside over the Court Sitting.
- (b) “Justice” means a Justice of the Supreme Court.
- “Chief Registrar” means the Chief Registrar of the Court.
- (a) “Registrar” means any other Officer of the Court (by whatever title called) exercising the functions of the Chief Registrar.
- (b) “Registrar of the Court below” means the Chief Registrar or other administrative staff (howsoever called) of that Court or any other Court or Tribunal whose decision is subject to appeal to the Supreme Court.
- “Committee” means the Rules of Court Advisory Committee established under these Rules.
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Authored by Ben Ijeoma Adigwe Esq., ACIarb (UK), LL.M, Dip. in Artificial Intelligence, Director at the Delta State Ministry of Justice, Asaba, Nigeria.
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