CIVIL PROCEDURE — Grant of Reliefs — Court cannot award reliefs not claimed
Ratio Decidendi
Per Mukhtar, JSC, in Odunze & Ors v. Nwosu & Ors (2007) NLC-123-387-2001(SC) at p. 38; Paras D–E:
"The cardinal principles of the law that is well settled is that a court is not a charitable institution that would grant reliefs that are not claimed by a party. It must restrict and confine itself within the walls of the reliefs a party approaches it for, and not to undertake its own generous acts of awarding reliefs not sought."
Explanation / Scope
A court cannot grant reliefs not claimed by a party. The court must confine itself to the reliefs sought. It has no power to award unclaimed reliefs, no matter how generous or just it may consider them. This ensures parties are in control of their cases and the court does not exceed its jurisdiction.