The Courts As Friends Of Lawyers And Lawyers As Friends Of The Courts!

By Hameed Ajibola Jimoh Esq.

The legal profession and of course the administration of justice system of Nigeria entail among others: the courts of law and the lawyers either as the Plaintiff’s or the Defendant’s Counsel. In either way, it is no doubt that once a person is called to bar and or enrolled, there exists an automatic relationship with the courts and of course too the courts’ staff/officials. This relationship is even built gradually from even before the person is called to bar and enrolled as a legal practitioner from the time of his externship in court. There and then, he becomes a friend to some of the courts and its staff/officials that he comes across during the externship, the relationship which is expected to even continue after the end of the externship. I (as a person for instance) am still in good relationship with the Court and its staff/officials where I did my court’s attachment/externship. This paper aims at encouraging a good relationship among the: courts; the courts’ staff/officials; and the lawyers, who are very important aspects of the administration of justice system in Nigeria in the interest of justice.

Rule 30 of the Rules of Professional Conducts for Legal Practitioners, 2007-herein after referred to as the RPC provides that a lawyer is an officer of the court where it provides thus ‘30. A lawyer is an officer of the court and, accordingly, he shall not do any act or conduct himself in any manner that may obstruct, delay or adversely; affect the administration of justice.’ And Rule 31(1) of the RPC provides thus ‘31. (1) A lawyer shall always treat the Court with respect, dignity and honour’.  Also see: Rule 1 of the RPC. There have however been such occasions where some of the staff of the courts from the gate-men/security agents engaged by the courts to provide some security services and the lawyers have engaged in some utterances arising from one issue or the other.  The manner with which some of the court’s staff/officials too address some lawyers really deserves some improvements! Lawyers have almost become like nothing in status and in recognition! The words used to even correct or address lawyers sometimes are as if those lawyers (regardless of their age at the bar) were just a year old baby! If the courts continue to treat lawyers with utmost disregard, how much more do we (as lawyers) complain of abuse of powers against lawyers by some members of the Nigeria Police Force and some other security agencies of government?! Therefore, I humbly advise our courts’ staff to (in all occasions of dealing with a lawyer (regardless of the lawyer’s natural age or age at the bar)) always deal with respect, dignity and honour as those courts’ staff/officials are friends of lawyers and there is no need for friends as we are to engage in fight and or quarrel.

Furthermore, some lawyers, with due respect, too have their own shortcomings! We as lawyers must take all courts’ staff/officials as part of the courts, hence, the need for us all to treat those court’s staff/officials with respect, dignity and honour (and these cordiality must be extended to even gate-men/security personnel authorized to provide security by the courts). Having this kind of relationship would give room for understanding and mutual respect (in reciprocity) between the courts’ staff/officials and the lawyers and then, litigation will be very interesting then we would all as courts and as lawyers be able to fulfill our various roles and duties saddled upon us by the justice system.

Finally, it is my kind advice and recommendation that courts’ staff/officials and the lawyers must lower their egos and then allow the interest of justice to prevail by being respectful to each other. If this is done, I do believe that our friendship relationship would always become stronger and everlasting!

email: hameed_ajibola@yahoo.com