Description

Jurisdiction is the foundation of any adjudication. Where a court lacks jurisdiction, its proceedings no matter how well conducted, will be set aside on appeal. Jurisdiction of a court is so fundamental that when it is challenged, it must be addressed and resolved first before any other step is taken in the proceedings. In this book, a humble attempt is made to give a step-by-step guide on how a defendant may dispute the jurisdiction of the court on varieties of grounds. In chapter one, ways of disputing the jurisdiction of court i.e methods of raising objection to court’s jurisdiction, what determines court’s jurisdiction, format of appearance and precedents on disputing court’s jurisdiction etc, were examined. In other chapters, the author examined how court’s jurisdiction may be disputed on grounds of cause of action, non-service of pre-action notice, locus standi, limitation law, defective processes and abuse of process. Further, the author examined how court’s jurisdiction may be disputed on grounds of res judicata, legal capacity to bring or defend an action, non-payment of filing fees, immunity or on ground that a case has no live and genuine question for determination. Scope of jurisdiction of some courts in Nigeria were also examined. It is also our hope that lawyers in litigation practice, judges and other stakeholders in justice delivery will find the book immensely useful. All errors in the book are mine.

​Basil Momodu Esq.

October, 2024.