Chief Judge of Lagos State

Chief Judge of Lagos State
Style	My Lord (Informal) The Honorable (Formal) Your Lordship (When addressed directly in court)
Appointer	Lagos State Governor nomination with House of Assembly confirmation
Term length	4 years
Formation	Constitution of Nigeria May 27, 1967

The Chief Judge of Lagos State is the head of the Lagos State Judiciary, the judicial branch of the Lagos State Government and the chief judge of the High Court of Lagos State. From 1967 to 1973, the title was called Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. The appointment is often made by the Governor. “Section 271(1) of the Constitution provides that ‘The appointment of a person to the office of the Chief Judge of a State shall be made by the Governor of the State on the recommendation of the National Judicial Council, subject to the confirmation of the appointment by the House of Assembly of the State,’”.

The Chief Judge is the highest judicial officer in the state, and acts as a chief administrative officer as well as spokesperson for the judicial branch. The Chief Judge presides over oral arguments before the court. When the court renders an opinion, the Chief Justice—when in the majority—decides who writes the court's opinion. The Chief Justice also has significant agenda-setting power over the court's meetings. The Chief Judge sets the agenda for the weekly meetings where the justices review the petitions for certiorari, to decide whether to hear or deny each case.

The Chief Judge is considered to be the justice with most superior, independent of the number of years of service in the High Court. The Chief Judge, therefore chairs the conferences where cases are discussed and voted on by other judges in the state. The Chief Judge often speaks first, and so has influence in framing the discussion. The Chief Judge sets the agenda for the weekly meetings where the justices review the petitions for certiorari, to decide whether to hear or deny each cases in the years to come. The Chief Judge serves as the commission's chairman.

The Chief Judge typically administers the oath of office at the inauguration of the Lagos State Governor. In a situation where the Chief Judge is ill or incapacitated, the oath is usually administered by the Attorney General. Also the Attorney General typically administers the oath of office at the inauguration of the Chief Judge. In addition, the Chief Judge normally administers the oath of office to newly appointed and confirmed associate judges.

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