We made the observations repeatedly that it is archaic and outmoded,
when a female lawyer announces her appearance in court, to ask
as Nigerian Judges in habits - "Are you Miss or Mrs?" Infra-dig!
The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Walter Onnoghen at the Supreme Court session directed that the use of Miss/Mrs/Ms for female lawyers is doltish and must be discarded.
He urged female Lawyers to resist being compelled by Judges
to disclose their Marital status while announcing their names in
court or in other professional settings and legal writings.
Hon. Justice Onnoghen cautioned that the professional and proper
suffix is ‘Esquire’. He also advised that in cases where more than one
legal practitioner is appearing, without title there should be
introductory
appellation- Messrs for females or male. And for one lawyer appearing
it is
‘Esq’ female or male with of course SAN if he or she is appearing in a matter. This happened today at the
Supreme Court.
Carol Ajie ESQ.,
LAWA Fellow
2009-2010 Georgetown University Law Center 600 New Jersey Avenue
Washington DC 20001 Email: ca338@law.georgetown.edu GSM: +2348033041206
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