LEGAL PRINCIPLE: CIVIL PROCEDURE – Jurisdiction – Exhaustion of Statutory Remedies – Effect on Court’s Jurisdiction

Where a statute prescribes a remedy, an aggrieved party must exhaust that remedy before approaching the court. Failure to do so renders the action premature—no cognisable cause of action arises. If the statute grants exclusive jurisdiction to another tribunal or hierarchy, the court’s jurisdiction to grant declaratory relief is ousted. The court’s role is limited to supervisory jurisdiction over the inferior tribunal (e.g., judicial review). The principle promotes the rule of law and respects statutory dispute resolution mechanisms. The court will not interfere until statutory remedies are exhausted. The exhaustion rule applies to administrative remedies, internal appeals, and specialist tribunals. The court retains supervisory jurisdiction to prevent excess of jurisdiction or error of law.