(1) There
shall be a High Court for each State of the Federation.
(2) The High Court of a State shall consist of -
(a)
a Chief Judge of the State; and
(b) such members of Judges of the High Court as may be
prescribed by a Law of the House of Assembly of the State.
271 -
(1)
The appointment of a person to the office of Chief Judge of
a State shall be made by the Governor of the State on the
recommendation of the National Judicial Council subject to
confirmation of the appointment by the House of Assembly of
the State.
(2) The appointment of a person to the office
of a Judge of a High Court of a State shall be made by the
Governor of the State acting on the recommendation of the
National Judicial Council.
(3) A person shall not be qualified to hold
office of a Judge of a High Court of a State unless he is
qualified to practice as a legal practitioner in Nigeria
and has been so qualified for a period of not less than
ten years.
(4) If the office of Chief Judge of a State
is vacant or if the person holding the office is for any
person unable to perform the functions of the office, then
until a person has been appointed to and has assumed the
functions of that office, or until the person holding the
office has resumed those functions, the Governor of the
State shall appoint the most senior Judge of the High Court
to perform those functions.
(5) Except on the recommendation of the
National Judicial Council an appointment pursuant to subsection
(4) of this section shall cease to have effect after expiration
of three months from the date of such appointment and the
Governor shall not re-appoint a person whose appointment
has lapsed.
272 -
(1) Subject
to the provisions of section 251 and other provisions of this
Constitution, the High Court of a State shall have jurisdiction
to hear and determine any civil proceedings in which the existence
or extent of a legal right, power, duty, liability, priviledge,
interest, obligation or claim is in issue or to hear and determine
any criminal proceedings involving or relating to any penalty,
forfeiture, punishment or other liability in respect of an
offence committed by any person.
(2) The reference to civil or criminal proceedings in this
section includes a reference to the proceedings which originate
in the High Court of a State and those which are brought
before the High Court to be dealt with by the court in the
exercise of its appellate or supervisory jurisdiction.
273. For the purpose
of exercising any jurisdiction confer#FF0000 upon it under
this Constitution or any law, a High court of a State shall
be duly constituted if it consists of at least one Judge of
that Court.
274. Subject to
the provisions of any law made by the House of Assembly of
a State, the Chief Judge of a State may make rules for regulating
the practice and procedure of the High Court of the State.
