...Chief Justice Warns Judges Of Fabricated Authorities Capable Of Distorting Judicial Proceedings
….Judicial Officers Urged To Deploy Technology Responsibly, Verify Sources
...CJN Cautions Judges Against Partisan Political Conduct Ahead Of 2027 Polls
Daud Olatunji
The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has raised the alarm over the growing use of artificial intelligence in legal research, warning that AI systems can generate apparently credible but non-existent court cases, inaccurate judicial decisions and wrongly attributed quotations.
Kekere-Ekun gave the warning on Wednesday while speaking at the flag-off ceremony of the 2026/2027 legal year of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria in Abuja.
The CJN stressed that although artificial intelligence could be a valuable research tool for lawyers and other legal practitioners, its outputs must not be accepted as authoritative without proper verification.
According to her, AI-generated responses could appear convincing because they may contain the names of parties, case citations, quotations and seemingly detailed accounts of judgments that never existed.
She warned that relying on such fabricated authorities in court proceedings could have serious consequences for counsel and potentially undermine the integrity of judicial proceedings.
The CJN said, “An AI system may produce an answer that appears authoritative, complete with names of parties, citations, quotations and even a seemingly convincing account of the decision.
“That does not make the authority genuine.”
Kekere-Ekun further stressed that a non-existent case, an incorrectly stated judicial decision or a quotation wrongly attributed to a judgment had no place in court processes.
She therefore urged lawyers to subject AI-generated legal materials to rigorous verification before relying on them in legal proceedings.
The warning comes amid the rapid adoption of generative AI tools capable of producing human-like responses and large volumes of information within seconds, raising new challenges for the legal profession and the administration of justice.
CJN Warns Judges Ahead Of 2027 Elections
The Chief Justice also cautioned judges against conduct that could create the perception of political alignment or predisposition as the country moves towards the 2027 general elections.
She noted that some judges of the National Industrial Court could, in accordance with the Constitution and applicable laws, be called upon to serve on election petition tribunals.
Kekere-Ekun said the politically sensitive nature of election disputes, coupled with the intense public attention they attract, demanded an even higher degree of impartiality, restraint and detachment from judicial officers.
She warned that judges’ conduct would be closely scrutinised, urging them to ensure that their associations, public engagements and other activities did not create a reasonable perception that they were aligned with a political interest.
The CJN said, “Whether sitting in this Court or performing a Tribunal assignment, you must remain conscious that your conduct will be closely scrutinised.”
She added that the legal profession must not be used as a vehicle for manipulating the judicial process for partisan or strategic purposes.
According to her, the appropriate court or tribunal for a case should be determined by law and not by the perceived likelihood of success before a particular judge.
CJN Warns Against Public Pressure On Judges
The CJN also called for restraint in public commentary concerning judicial proceedings and decisions.
She said lawyers and members of the public had the right to criticise judgments and judicial processes but warned that such rights did not extend to personal attacks on judges, deliberate misrepresentation of proceedings or attempts to pressure courts through public opinion.
Kekere-Ekun advised those with genuine concerns about judicial conduct to make use of established institutional channels rather than resorting to public attacks.
She equally warned lawyers against filing duplicative cases, noting that such practices could produce conflicting judgments, weaken public confidence and expose the judiciary to disrepute.
NICN Disposes Of 2,236 Cases
Meanwhile, the President of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Justice Benedict Kanyip, disclosed that the court disposed of 2,236 cases across its judicial divisions during the last legal year.
Kanyip said the performance represented a significant increase in the court’s case-disposal rate and had helped reduce its historical backlog despite the volume of cases handled by the court.
He commended the judges for their commitment to duty, saying the court had made significant progress in disposing of cases before it.
However, the NICN President expressed concern over the limited use of the court’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Centre.
According to him, only 31 cases were referred to the ADR Centre across the court’s various judicial divisions during the last legal year.
Kanyip urged litigants and their counsel to make better use of ADR, particularly in labour-related disputes, stressing that efficient justice delivery could not depend solely on conventional litigation.
He said, “Judicial efficiency cannot rely on litigation alone.”
Court Gets FG’s Support
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, pledged the continued support of the Federal Government to the National Industrial Court.
The President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mrs Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, SAN, also stressed the need for Nigerian labour jurisprudence to remain dynamic while being firmly anchored on the rule of law.
The legal year ceremony was preceded by the commissioning of the National Industrial Court’s headquarters building.
Among the dignitaries at the event were former Chief Justices of Nigeria, Justices Mahmud Mohammed and Walter Onnoghen; the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongbam-Mensen; Senior Advocates of Nigeria and other members of the legal profession.
'
'Do you want to share a story with us? Do you want to advertise with us? Do you need publicity for a product, service, or event? Contact us on WhatsApp +2348183319097 Email: platformtimes@gmail.com
We are committed to impactful investigative journalism for human interest and social justice. Your donation will help us tell more stories. Kindly donate any amount HERE
