Judicial Reforms: Lagos Proposes Bill To Limit Civil Cases To 24 Months

The Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro (SAN), disclosed on Monday that the state government has forwarded a Bill to the House of Assembly for the enactment of the Administration of Civil Justice Law, which will limit civil case proceedings to a maximum of 24 months.

Pedro, who revealed this at a press conference in Ikeja, said that when the bill is passed into law, civil litigations are expected to be resolved within 18 to 24 months, while tenancy matters should take three to six months.

The commissioner also stated that the proposed law aims to ensure that litigants get speedy justice and that no tenant can owe their landlord or be evicted while their case is heard in court.

Pedro further revealed that improvements have been made within the Criminal Justice System to tackle delays related to Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) legal advice and prosecution times.

He also said that a Lagos State Criminal Information System (LSCIS) had been established to capture photographs and biometrics and identify the cases of all inmates in the Correctional Centres across the state.

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The AG also said a Bill for the establishment of the LSCIS Pendens Registry on land matters, which aims to serve as a repository of information on land disputes in courts to prevent instances of purchase of land that is subject to litigation by unsuspecting purchasers without notice, has been sent to the lawmakers.

He said, “This initiative will reduce incidents of third-party interests arising from ongoing court cases and enhance confidence in real-estate investment within the state.”

Pedro claimed that another Bill proposed to the State House of Assembly is the Customary Marriage and Dissolution Registry, which would register and dissolve customary marriages.

He said this would allow the people of Lagos State to have customary marriage certificates and certificates of dissolution of customary marriages.

Pedro further disclosed that the Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has approved funds for completing and furnishing the JIC Taylor Magistrate courthouse, Igbosere, and paying 34 flats for the Magistrates’ official quarters.