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AN OVERVIEW OF THE SUPREME COURT TRANSITIONAL PERIOD OF ORDER 4 RULE 15 (1) SUPREME COURT RULES 2024

2025-07-28T14:41:36+00:00

The Supreme Court announced in a public Notice dated 4^th February 2025 a 30 day grace period titled Transitional Period for Counsel and litigant to apply for extension of time to file processes in pending appeal.

Transitional period – it means a period to regularize court processes that are already out of time whether filed or not from the 10^th of February to the end of 12^th March 2025.

The Honorable Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Kudirat Montonmori Olatokunbo Kekere- Ekun has approved the introduction of a transitional period in respect to the provision of Order 4 Rule 15 (1) Supreme Court Rules 2024.

The transitional period enables counsels/litigants who have not applied for an extension of time to file their processes in pending appeal to do so.

The Supreme Court transitional period enables counsel/litigants who were not able to regularize their processes in the second instance with payment of penalty after the expiration of the automatic extension of time in the first instance for the same period to file their processes.

It is important to note that, at the expiration of the transitional period, no further application for extension of time shall be entertained in respect of appeal where parties have failed to utilize the lifted bar on the provision of Order 4 Rule 15 (1) Supreme Court Rules 2024.

Counsels/litigants are admonished by the Chief Justice of Nigeria to take advantage of the opportunity created by the transitional period to regularize their appeal and ensure compliance with the Rules. However, counsel/litigants shall be required to pay all applicable default fees as prescribed by Order 4 Rule 15 (1) Supreme Court Rules 2024.

Therefore, this transition does not waive the financial obligation of the default parties.

Advantages of Supreme Court Transitional Period of Order 4 Rule 15 (1) 2024

1. It facilitates fair hearing and justice on merit

2. Flexibility of Court Rules

3. Compliance with all applicable rules regarding default fees

4. It emphasizes on the principle of Justice Delayed is not Justice denied

5. It increase the finance of the Supreme Court.

Disadvantages of Supreme Court Transitional Period of Order 4 Rule 15 (1) 2024

1. Lack of procedural discipline and ensure timely resolution of cases in the supreme court

2. It encourages Want of diligent prosecution as against the counsel who was diligent with his or her work/case.

3. Lack of strict adherence to timeline for filing of legal processes in both civil and criminal appeal with exemption to criminal case of death sentence.

Court Processes that can be regularized within the Transitional period

a. Respondent Brief of Argument

b. Appellant Reply to Respondent Brief of Argument

c. Applicant Reply Address etc.

In conclusion, transitional period is indeed a period of grace to enable litigants to have a fair hearing so that justice can administered on merit and for counsels to comply with the rules of the court.

Practice Areas

2018-12-03T14:04:57+00:00

Vacancies

2018-09-13T10:54:04+00:00

Currently there are no vacancies at Delphi Law Advisory.

Working At Delphi

2018-09-13T10:53:02+00:00

Delphi Law Advisory is an equal opportunity employer and will not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of age, color, disability, gender, national origin, race, religion, or any classification protected by the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Interested and qualified candidates are encouraged to check our vacancies.

Client Base

2018-09-13T09:44:57+00:00

The Firm’s client base is highly diversified. It has relationships with several large and medium sized manufacturing, building, construction, trading and service corporations nationwide, in addition to some of the bigger and more reputable financial institutions including banks and finance houses. We also act as international law agents, representing several foreign corporations and their Nigerian affiliates - individuals are also numbered amongst our clients.

The assignments undertaken or transactions the Firm has been involved in over the recent past include some which constitute or rank amongst notable events in corporate Nigeria. Particulars of our clients as well as details of specific assignments would be freely furnished whenever considerations of professional ethics and/or the individual client’s preferences allow.

The Firm: Introductory Background

2018-08-29T23:54:36+00:00

“Prophecies of what the courts will do in fact,and nothing more pretentious, are what I mean by the law.”

-Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.

The city of Delphi was home to the most famous and authoritative oracle in the ancient world. Delphi Law Advisory is however in the here and now with the objective of the achievement of oracular authority for the benefit of all those who seek counsel on legal matters concerning their lives and businesses. By mastery of not only the text of the law, but also, more importantly, its practical effect in diverse circumstances Delphi Law Advisory are enabled to predict legal outcomes accurately far more often than not and, when necessary, influencing those outcomes to our clients' benefits. Thus clients' are kept out of the courts and if they must be or find themselves there, then very high probability of vindication of their causes.

Although particularly renowned for expertise in litigation, the Firm provides a one-stop shop for a comprehensive range of legal services, especially those of a commercial nature. More specifically, the Firm's practice areas include general civil litigation, white-collar criminal defence, oil and gas, maritime, foreign investment, corporate finance, secured credits and banking, intellectual property, real property and arbitration. Additionally, the Firm has been involved in some pioneering endeavours in the areas of sports and entertainment law in Nigeria.

Attention to details and immersion in our clients' business plans and strategic objectives are articles of faith for us, thus enabling the addition of critical value to transactions in a comprehensive manner.

Apart from the principal offices in Lagos and Nnewi, Anambra State, the Firm also maintains a full complement of offices in Abuja in addition to correspondent offices in New York and some presence in London.