Supreme Court Sets New Rule for Lawyers Handling Appeals

(Supreme Court. Photo Credit: Vanguard News)

The Supreme Court of Nigeria has directed legal practitioners handling appeals and motions scheduled for hearing between September and December 2026 to upload all relevant court processes through the Nigerian Case Management System.

The directive was contained in a statement issued by the court and shared on its official social media handle on Tuesday.

According to the statement, signed by the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, Kabir Akanbi, the directive is in compliance with Rule 10(1) of the Supreme Court Practice Direction, 2026.

The apex court advised counsel to access the list of appeals and motions fixed for hearing by visiting its website, selecting the Litigation section, navigating to the Nigerian Case Management System, and downloading the relevant documents.

It stated that lawyers are expected to review the list of cases scheduled between September and December before uploading all relevant court processes relating to their matters.

Including the Record of Appeal, Briefs of Argument, pending Motions, and all other filed processes, not later than 30 days before the scheduled hearing date, as stipulated under Rule 10(1) of the Supreme Court Practice Direction, 2026.

The court noted that the requirement applies to all appeals and motions scheduled for hearing during the four-month period, and urged legal practitioners to ensure full compliance with the directive to facilitate the smooth operation of the electronic case management platform and the efficient, timely determination of cases.