The Rivers State High Court will commence its annual judicial vacation on July 20, with regular court sittings across all judicial divisions suspended until September 16, according to a directive issued by the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Simeon Chibuzor-Amadi.
The announcement was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday in Port Harcourt by the Chief Registrar of the court, David Ihua-Maduenyi.
Justice Chibuzor-Amadi said the annual vacation, a longstanding judicial tradition, is in accordance with Order 49, Rule 4(D) of the High Court of Rivers State Civil Procedure Rules, 2023 (as amended).
Under the arrangement, all judicial divisions of the High Court in the state will remain closed during the vacation period, providing judges with a recess after months of adjudicating cases and performing other judicial responsibilities.
The Chief Judge, however, assured litigants and legal practitioners that urgent and time-sensitive matters would not be left unattended during the break.
He disclosed that vacation judges would be designated to hear cases requiring immediate judicial intervention, ensuring that access to justice is not disrupted despite the suspension of regular court activities.
According to him, the measure is intended to prevent delays in critical matters and maintain the efficient administration of justice throughout the vacation period.
The Atlantic Bell reports that the annual court vacation is a standard practice within Nigeria’s judiciary, designed to allow judges a period of rest while making provisions for the handling of emergency cases.
Normal court sittings are expected to resume across Rivers State on September 16.
