Emulating The Lagos State Model In Effective Justice Delivery By Douglas Ogbankwa Esq.

The Lagos State Judicial and Legal System, are miles apart, that
of other jurisdictions in view of their sophistication and
innovations.

The following are novel innovations in the Justice
delivery system in Lagos State, that are worth emulating, by other
States of the Federation:

1. The Cause List of any Court, in Lagos State, can be checked
online and you can access the contact phone numbers, of Court
Officials online for effective feedback mechanism between Counsel
and the Court. The Lagos State Government like the Court of Appeal,
Benin Judicial Division, has a functional WhatsApp Platform, made
up all Court Registrars and Leaders of the Bar for effective
information flow, whether the Court is Sitting or not and Matters
Connected therewith!

2. The Case Management System provides for an integration of the
Multi-Door Court House in the filing processes, as apart from a
case, that has an exparte motion for an exparte injunction, all
cases are first taken to the multi-door courthouse for possible
Arbitration and Settlement.

3. There is a nascent E-filing system that is evolving, that
will eventually lead to an online filing Platform.

4. There is a robust system in place to root out corrupt judges
and magistrates, including sting operations.

5. The Ministry of Justice is decentralized to different Zones,
with Zonal Offices, which makes it easier and safer for State
Counsel to get to Court, with Sound Utility Vehicles.

6. The Lagos State Government takes good care of Staff of its
Ministry of Justice, to this end, they are given wardrobe
allowances, and there is a fair system for them to embark on
training and retraining exercises, all around the World.

7. The Lagos State High Court use the verbatim recorder to take
records and Judges no longer record in longhand.

8. Specialized Courts are Many in Lagos State, the Family
Courts, Commercial Courts, Revenue Courts, Probate Courts are each
close to and in some cases more than 10 (ten) for diversity of
purpose and diversity of Judges and an eclectic touch to
issues.

9. The Lagos State Government has an Official Arbitration and
Mediation Template in place called the Citizens’ Mediation Centres,
that are decentralized, and afford citizens opportunities to settle
petty matters by mediation and conciliation, outside the cumbersome
purview of Courts and Security Agencies!

10. The Office of Public Defender a robust and well funded Legal
Aid Institution,renders free Legal Services, to the indigent and
the vulnerable!

11. The Lagos State Domestic Violence Response Team SDVRT), is a
24-hour security emergency service, that responds within minutes,
anywhere in Lagos State, to any issue of domestic violence, child
molestation, rape, indecent assault, defilement, and ancillary
matters, with a structured prosecutorial system, that propels
deterrence!
With this phone number-08057542266 and an SMS to a particular code,
you can reach and be reached by the SDVRT.

12. The Lagos State High Court Civil Procedure (2019), to be
passed soon provides for a Rule that punishes Lawyers, with as much
as N100,000;00 penalty to lawyers stalling trials.