RETHINKING THE RULE AGAINST VISITING OF THESINS OF COUNSEL ON THE LITIGANTS IN JUSTICE ADMINISTRATION IN NIGERIA

Abstract

The  rule  against  visiting  of  the  sins  of  counsel  on  the litigant  was  introduced  in  Nigeria  in  1964  by  the  Supreme Court in Doherty v  Doherty,1thelocus classicus. The  essence of this rule  is to ensure  that litigants are  not unduly penalized  over  the  mischief  of  their  counsel.  However,  this  rule,  which  is  one  ofthe  autochthonous  features  of Nigerian legal system, is clearly antithetical to its system of representative litigation, in which parties are deemed to be bound by the actions and inactions of their counsel –their juridical agents. Like other rules, which are founded on  case  law,  the  rule  against  visiting  of  the  sins  of  counsel  on  the  litigants  is  very  ambiguous  in  scope  and application.This has not only led to conflicting interpretations and inconsistent application of the rule, but has also created a dangerous leeway for litigants and their counsel, who always resort to it as a magic potion that heals all the ills of litigation. It is, therefore, very imperative to rethink this rule so as to put its application in perspective