CJN seeks regular conferences of Appeal Court Panels to end conflicting decisions

The Chief Justice of Nigeria CJN, Justice Kudirat Motomori Olatokunbo Kekere-Ekun has identified the absence of conferences as a major reason why appellate courts get involved in conflicting decisions,

She made this known on Monday at the 2024 Justices of the Court of Appeal held in AbujAbuja.

The CJN said “Now, the issue of conflicting decisions is one of greatest concerns in our judiciary community at present time and one of the reasons that we have conflicting decisions is because many panels do not hold conferences to discuss all reserve judgments.

“It is strongly recommended that conferences be held. I cannot overemphasize this point. We are an appellate court for a reason, and the reason is that several heads are better than one.

“So holding conferences, exchanging opinions and ideas on matters that come before us is extremely essential. We have presiding justices here, and if it has not been your practice, I want to appeal to you that you start making it a practice. It is a very, very essential tool in the work that we do.

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“And in conferences, no matter your level in the courts, you have an opinion, you have experience, you have knowledge from whichever court you came from to get to the appellate court, and therefore your voice should be heard.

“It is also important that these conferences are held in good time so that where there are conflicting opinions, they can be discussed before judgments are given. It is also important to thoroughly examine judgments of the trial courts, and the reasons for those judgments before they get to the court of appeal.

“We have a recent decision or a case where a wrong interpretation was given to the decision of this court that informed the decision of the trial court. So some of these things will probably be brought to light in the process of holding conference. So that is my singular message here, that conference is a safe place.

“Multi-judge panels encourage robust deliberation, ensuring that judgments are comprehensive and well reasoned.

“At this level, where appeals are held and reserved for judgment, the holding of conferences to collectively deliberate on issues and matters that come before the court cannot be overstated.

“Conferencing is an essential tool that promotes mutual respect, deepens understanding and enhances the quality of our decisions. However, introspection also requires us to examine how our collective processes can be improved.

Are our judgments addressing the root issues brought before us? Are we sufficiently attuned to the broader societal implications of our decisions?

“These are the questions that judicial introspection seeks to answer. My words, while we celebrate our achievements, we must remain conscious of the challenges facing the judiciary, case backlogs, and funding constraints, and I’m happy with the promise we have received from the House of Representatives Committee on fund allocation to the Judiciary”, the CJN said.