Commencement Of Civil Actions, Front Loading etc.

Delivered At The Conference On The Revision Of The Civil Procedure Rules Of Lagos State – 19th – 21st February 2002

1. Introduction

It would be difficult to describe the present system of Rules and structure of courts without referring, albeit concisely, to the historical basis and philosophical underpinnings of the machinery of justice. Indeed the functions of our courts and the basis for reform of their rules can only be understood when put in some historical context.

The Woolf Reforms which culminated in the new Rules of the Supreme Court of England 1998 represented a comprehensive re-appraisal and incorporation of many past endeavours which remained unimplemented or at best partially implemented.