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Judicial Service Commission Act, 1994 (Act No. 9 of 1994)

Regulations

Code of Judicial Conduct for Judges

Article 10 : Diligence

 

(1)        A judge must—

(a) perform all assigned judicial duties diligently;
(b) investigate the matter at hand thoroughly;
(c) dispose of the business of the court promptly and in an efficient and businesslike manner;
(d) give judgment or any ruling in a case promptly and without undue delay;
(e) not engage in conduct that is prejudicial to the effective and expeditious administration of justice or the business of the court;
(f) attend chambers during normal office hours and attend court during normal court hours, unless such attendance is not reasonably required in order to perform any official duties;
(g) perform all official duties properly, timeously, and in an orderly manner;
(h) respect and comply with, the administrative requests of the head of court or the relevant senior judge;
(i) take reasonable steps to maintain the necessary level of professional competence in the law; and
(j) upon resignation, discharge from active service, or the expiry of an acting appointment, complete all part-heard cases and deliver all reserved judgments as soon as possible.

 

(2) A judge must deliver all reserved judgments before the end of the term in which the hearing of a matter was completed, but may—
(a) in respect of a matter that was heard within two weeks of the end of that term; or
(b) where a reserved judgment is of a complex nature or for any other cogent and sound reason and with the consent of the head of the court,

deliver that reserved judgment during the course of the next term.

 

Notes:

 

Note 10(i): Unnecessary postponements, point-taking, undue formality and the like must be avoided.

 

Note 10(ii): Litigants are entitled to judgment as soon as reasonably possible.

 

Note 10(iii): Criminal proceedings, especially automatic reviews, applications for leave to appeal, and matters where personal liberty is involved, must be dealt with expeditiously.

 

Note 10(iv): A judge keeps a record of all outstanding judgments and reports to the head of the particular court thereon if and when requested.

 

Note 10(v): A pattern of intemperate or intimidating treatment of lawyers and others, or of conduct evidencing arbitrariness and abusiveness is prejudicial to the effective administration of justice and should be avoided.