“The lawyers stated in their press release that the cost of virtual hearings is prohibitive.
However, before the High Court of Ogun State (Civil Procedure) Rules 2024, which introduced virtual hearings, came into force, draft copies were circulated to all five branches of the Nigerian Bar Association in Ogun State,” he said.
The registry noted that most local NBA chapters did not participate in the initial consultative stages before the digital guidelines were formalized.
“Unfortunately, four of the five branches did not respond. The only branch that did respond merely pointed out a few typographical errors,” Lukmon said.
The state high court administration emphasized that physical court attendance remains available for any litigant who prefers traditional proceedings.
“It is important to note that virtual hearings are not mandatory.
They are optional and intended for situations where, for one reason or another, witnesses cannot physically appear in court,” Lukmon said.
The registry stated that infrastructure development requires significant financial backing, noting that the technology has successfully optimized long-distance litigation.
“Technology comes with costs. Establishing, maintaining, and operating virtual court facilities requires significant investment.
Since the introduction of these provisions, virtual courtrooms have been installed in nine of the eleven judicial divisions in Ogun State, and more than 600 virtual hearings have been successfully conducted,” Lukmon said.
According to the judiciary management, the technological updates prevent unnecessary travel waste when unforeseen scheduling conflicts disrupt court sessions.
“Many litigants have already benefited from this innovation. We have had witnesses testify from countries such as Australia, Canada, and the United States,” Lukmon said.
