Order 48 FCT (Civil Procedure) Rules 2025

Order 48 of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules 2025 is about Court Sittings and Vacation. It contains the following rules:

1. Subject to the provisions of the Law, the Court may, in its
   discretion, appoint any day or days and any place or places
   from time to time for the hearing of causes as circumstances
   may require.
2. The sittings of the Court for the hearing of causes shall
   ordinarily be public but subject to the provisions of the
   Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Judge
   may for special reasons, hear any particular cause or matter
   in the presence of the parties only, their legal practitioners,
   if any, and the officers of Court.
3. The offices of the Court shall be open at such times as the
   Chief Judge shall direct.
4. Subject to the directions of the Chief Judge, sittings of the
   High Court for the despatch of civil matters will be held on
   every weekday, except:
   (a) On any public holidays;

(b) During the weeks ending with Good Friday and beginning with Easter Monday;
(c) During the period beginning on Christmas eve and ending on the 2 January of the succeeding year;
(d) During the week designated as settlement week;
(e) During the annual vacation, effective from any week in July and ending on a date not less 6 weeks later as the Chief Judge may declare by notification in the Gazette or any other means he deems appropriate.

5. (1) Notwithstanding the provisions of Rule 4, any cause or
   matter may be heard by the Court during any of the periods
   mentioned in paragraphs (b), (c) or (d) of Rule 4 (except on
   a Sunday or public holiday) where such cause or matter is
   urgent or the Court, at the request of all the parties
   concerned, agrees to hear the cause or matter.
   (2) An application for an urgent hearing shall be made by
   motion ex-parte and the decision of the Court on such an
   application shall be final.
6. The time for filing and service of pleadings shall not run
   during the annual vacation unless otherwise directed by
   the Court.

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