The Judiciary has gazetted 15 new Small Claims Courts across the country and established new stations of the Court of Appeal of Kenya in Kakamega and Meru in a move aimed at expanding access to justice.
According to the gazette notice issued by the Judiciary of Kenya, the changes are intended to bring court services closer to the public and enhance the efficiency of dispute resolution.
Small Claims Courts are specialised courts that handle civil disputes involving relatively low monetary value. They are designed to resolve cases quickly through simplified procedures, allowing individuals and small businesses to settle disputes without lengthy litigation.
The expansion of these courts is expected to ease the backlog currently experienced in magistrates’ courts while offering a faster and more affordable avenue for resolving commercial and personal disputes.
At the same time, the Judiciary has established new stations of the Court of Appeal of Kenya at Kakamega Law Courts and at Nkubu Law Courts in Meru County.
The creation of the two appellate stations is expected to strengthen the presence of the appellate court in western Kenya and the Mt. Kenya region, reducing the need for litigants and lawyers to travel long distances to access appellate services.
The new Court of Appeal stations in Kakamega and Meru are scheduled to begin operations next month.
