The Lagos State High Court will, on July 24, begin its annual vacation to end the 2022/2023 legal year of the state judiciary.

A notice to that effect, signed by the acting chief registrar, Tajudeen Elias, issued on Wednesday by Ololade Ige, the spokesperson for the Lagos State Judiciary, stated that the vacation would end on September 15.

It stated that the chief judge of Lagos State, Justice Kazeem Alogba, approved the annual vacation pursuant to Order 49 Rule 4(D) of the High Court of Lagos Civil Procedure Rules 2019.

According to the notice, the criminal division of the High Court will, however, sit during the vacation.

“Where a judge of a criminal division is on vacation, a vacation judge may be assigned to deal with all pending criminal cases in that court.

“Notwithstanding the long vacation, any case or matter may be heard by a judge during the period of vacation (except on a Sunday or public holiday).

“Where such case or matter is urgent, a judge will, at the consent of all parties concerned, agree to hear it.

“Any application for an urgent hearing may be made by summons in chambers before the vacation judge or the judge before whom the substantive case is pending,” it stated.

Four judges have been assigned to the Ikeja and Lagos Divisions each, while two have been assigned to the Badagry, Epe and Ikorodu Divisions of the High Courts each as vacation judges.

According to the notice, the 2023/2024 legal year of the state judiciary will begin on September 18, while the new legal year service will take place on September 25. 

(NAN)