Supreme Court 13th April, 1992.Justices: Muhammadu Lawal Uwais, JSC, Salihu Modibbo Alfa Belgore, JSC Idris Legbo Kutigi, JSC, Dahiru Musdapher, JSC, George Adesola Oguntade, JSC Subject Matter(s):Jurisdiction of Court is the Life Blood, Absence Renders Proceedings a Nullity Upon Amendment of the Statement of Claim, the Defendant is at Liberty to Amend the Statement of Defence No need to Resort to External Sources when Construing Rules Mandatory Rules of Court are not as Sacrosanct as a Statute or Act Manner of Impeachment of Record Court’s Date Date for Mention not to be Treated as date for Hearing Court Fees Main Claim Combined with Claim under Fundamental Human Rights Evaluation of Evidence Primary Responsibility of Trial Court Duty of Judge to do Substantial Justice and Prevent Undue Adherence to Technicalities Contempt It is for the Court and Not Counsel to Determine when a Party is in Contempt Court has Jurisdiction to Protect its Judgment from Being Ridiculed Party in Disobedience of Court order may not be Heard in subsequent Application No Duty on Court to Apply Inapplicable Authority Decisions of Supreme Court Have Binding Precedent on all the Courts in the Country – Legal Practitioners to Keep Abreast Court Marital Composition of Court is Condition Precedent to Jurisdiction Purpose of and Life Span of Interim Order of Injunction Exparte Order of Injunction Not Unconstitutional and When to Grant– Court to be Wary Failure of the Respondent to File a Formal Notice of Preliminary Objection Where Respondent Fails to Comply with Rules in Filing of Notice of Preliminary Objection Court May Either Refuse to Entertain Same or Adjourn the Hearing Preliminary Objection to be Filed Against Hearing of Appeal and Not Against Grounds of Appeal Motion and not Preliminary Objection where Appeal is Not Fundamentally Defective What Appellate Court Should Consider in Determining Whether Proposed Grounds Show Good Cause Appeal Filed by Party which has Ceased to Exist is Incompetent A right of Appeal, Even Where It is as of Right, Must Not be exercised in Abuse of the Court’s Process Where Party is Dead, Application for Its Substitution is Incompetent Notice of Appeal Filed by a Dead Person is Incompetent Appeal Survives the Initiator if Imbued with Competence from the Outset Record of Appeal Appeal Court can Suo Motu Dismiss Appeal that is Not Prosecuted Diligently Briefs of Argument Brief Without Issues for Determination will be Struck Out Reply Brief Appellant’s Failure to Respond to Issue of Law Raised in Respondent’s Brief May Amount to a Concession Court of Appeal Rules – No need to Resort to External Sources in Construction of Court of Appeal Rules Courts to Refrain from Seeking Interpretation Outside Words of Statute Whether Mandatory Enactments Shall be Construed as Directory or Obligatory Where no Provision in Rules Court is to do Substantial Justice Court can Supply an Omission in a Statute Court Cannot Validly Expand Its Jurisdiction Beyond Constitution or Enabling Statute Final Order: Appeal Dismissed