Procedures
High Court Rules 1980 with Roman-Dutch prescription and a Commercial Court
Civil procedure follows the High Court Rules 1980, with a Commercial Court division established to expedite business disputes. Prescription follows Roman-Dutch principles as applied through the Prescription Act. Appeals lie to the Court of Appeal, which sits in sessions.
Key rules
- Jurisdiction — Local and central courts apply customary law; subordinate courts and the High Court exercise general jurisdiction.
- Deadline — Appeal to the Court of Appeal: notice within 6 weeks
- Deadline — Court of Appeal sits in periodic sessions rather than continuously
Governing law
- High Court Rules 1980
- High Court Act 5 of 1978
- Subordinate Courts Act 9 of 1988
In practice
The Court of Appeal's sessional sitting pattern, historically staffed substantially by judges from South Africa and elsewhere in the region, means appellate timing in Lesotho is governed by the sessions calendar rather than by continuous listing.