Supreme Court introduces electronic legal mail
… Phase out manual court process filing July 16, 2018
The Chief Justice of Nigeria(CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen said on Friday that the Supreme Court will in July this year phase out manual forms of serving court processes in all matters before it.
Justice Onnoghen disclosed this in Abuja at formal presentation of the ‘Newly retrofitted Court and legal Mail’ at the Supreme Court.
He implored all judges and lawyers to subscribe to and acquire the legal mail because as “from 16 July, 2018 it becomes mandatory.”
“The Supreme Court will only serve processes by electronic means (Legal Mail), on all matters,” adding that “hence, all new filing as from 16th July ,2018 must bear Counsel’s legal email address.”
Justice Onnoghen stated that no effort was spared in the selection of the best technology solutions and implementation partners to drive the policy for the Nigerian Judiciary and the Legal profession as a whole.
We intend to replicate the system in all other courts in the near future as the Nigerian Judiciary is committee to employing cutting edge technology to enhance justice administration and provide our citizens with the justice system that is transparent ,fast and accessible, he maintained.
Justice Onnoghen who described the technology as unique Legal email system, noted that it will serve as means of communication between the Judges, Court staff and lawyers as well as between lawyers. He said it will work in such a manner that will permit seamless exchange of information electronically within the judicial ecosystem.
He, however said it is imperative that all other Heads of Courts acquire the Legal email addresses for their courts from the Judiciary Information Technology Policy Committee(JITPC) to enhance the work of their litigation departments.
Justice Onnoghen also implored the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), whose President Ababakar Mahmoud (SAN) served as a member of JITPC to work in tandem with bench to secure successful implementation of the policy.
He said that quick adoption of the system will enable the judiciary move forward to implement and improve on other components that depend on it.
Efforts in the past to make the Nigerian Judiciary automate has led to the development of Nigeria Case Management System (NCMS), he said.
While presenting a component of the project – “the Lawyers self registration Portal” the Chairman JITPC , Justice Kashim Zannah noted that it generate proof of service of court processes automatically. He disclosed that so far there are over 2,000 active users.
He emphasised the need for mass trainings of judicial officers on information technology.
In his remark, the President of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Abubakar Mahmoud (SAN), said the policy was over due because other sectors have moved ahead in information technology to enhance their work.
