A bill has been submitted to the Lagos State House of Assembly to expedite justice delivery, particularly by reducing litigation time at the Magistrate and High Courts.
The Attorney General of Lagos & Commissioner for Justice, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Lawal Pedro, has stated that the bill will ensure that civil cases do not exceed two years in courts and tenancy matters are resolved within six months.
Pedro made this announcement during a Press Conference at the Ministry of Justice Conference Room, Alausa, Ikeja, to mark his first year in office and prepare for his ministry’s upcoming Strategic Stakeholders Meeting.
Among the new initiatives introduced by the Lagos State Ministry of Justice are the establishment of the State’s Criminal Information System for capturing photographs and biometrics of inmates in the Correctional Centres and the creation of the Lis Pendens Registry on land matters to serve as a repository of information on land disputes in the courts.
The AG said these innovations will ultimately support economic growth and safeguard investors.
Acknowledging that delays in justice delivery can significantly impede economic progress, the committee stressed the importance of reducing the duration of cases in the Magistrate and High Courts.
Consequently, a Bill to enact the Administration of Civil Justice Law has been sent to the House of Assembly for legislative consideration.
If the Bill is passed into Law, litigation in trial courts is anticipated to last 18 to 24 months, and tenancy matters between 3 to 6 months.
Furthermore, the Lagos State Criminal Information System has been established to capture photographs and biometrics and identify the cases of all inmates in the Correctional Centres in Lagos State.
Another initiative introduced is the Bill for the establishment of the LIS Pendens Registry, which aims to serve as a repository of information on land disputes in the courts to prevent unsuspecting purchasers from purchasing land subject to litigation without notice. This initiative will reduce incidents of third-party interests arising from ongoing court cases and enhance confidence in real-estate investment within the State.
Another proposed Bill is the Customary Marriage and Dissolution Registry, which would register customary marriages and dissolve customary marriages, providing the people of Lagos State with the opportunity to obtain customary marriage certificates and certificates of dissolution of customary marriages.