The Lagos State Judiciary has released Guidelines on how court sittings shall be conducted in the State during this Covid-19 pandemic period.

The Guidelines which was signed by the Acting Chief Registrar, Mrs. O. A. Okunuga is dated 15th May, 2020.

It makes wearing face masks as condition for entering court premises and temperature checks among others.

Read the full details below:

“GUIDELINES FOR COURT SITTINGS IN THE COVID-19 PERIOD

“I) Every entrant into the court premises must wear face mask

“II) Must submit to his/her temperature check by the security/court official at the gate of the court premises.

“III) Where his/her temperature reading is over 37° centigrade – he/she shall be refused entry

“IV) Upon entry into the court premises, each person shall wash his/her hands with water with soap at designated position where the water tap is situate.

“V) Where a person is coming in with a car/vehicle, all occupants of the vehicle except the driver shall exit and observe protocol S (I-IV) above

“The driver shall drive to a stop point designated by the Court, alight from his vehicle, and wash his/her hands with water and soap at the designated front; and proceed to his/her car, and then be allowed into the parking spaces in the court premises.

“VI) At the point of entering the court room, the registry and or any other office, each person shall apply the hand sanitizer to his/her hands before being allowed therein.

“VII) inside the Court Room/Chamber/Registry/Office – the court Registrar/Official shall ensure physical distancing of at least six feet between one person and the other

“VIII) Each presiding Judge/Magistrate may schedule cases and apportion specific time for hearing each case

“IX) Only counsel and parties shall be allowed into the court room at the time scheduled for their cases. Where counsel to any of the parties is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), he shall be accompanied by only one junior/associate counsel

“X) Any person who refuses to cooperate with court officials and comply with the above protocols, shall be refused entry into the court premises, court room, registry or any other office and shall be politely asked to leave and if he/she refuses to do so, shall be physically removed therefrom by the Court’s police orderlies and or security officials and or arrested and be charged to court.

“XI) The court, Registry and other officers therein, shall sit/attend to the public between the hours of 10am – 3:00pm”