Supreme Court Rules on LPDC Appeal Pathways

The Supreme Court, in a split decision of 5:2, clarified that appeals cannot be made directly from the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) to the Supreme Court. This ruling was based on Section 233 of the Constitution, which restricts the Supreme Court's appellate jurisdiction to appeals from the Court of Appeal.

The Court found that Section 233(2) is exhaustive regarding its appellate jurisdiction and that the National Assembly (NASS) lacks the authority to create additional appellate sources for the Supreme Court. Furthermore, Section 240 allows for other tribunals to be designated as sources of appeal to the Court of Appeal by NASS, but it does not automatically grant that jurisdiction.

The previous legal framework required individuals aggrieved by LPDC decisions to first appeal to the Appeal Committee of the Body of Benchers before proceeding to the Supreme Court, a pathway that remains unavailable under the current ruling.