Two of Kenya's top courts have announced their official December and Christmas recess dates in a move that will affect judicial services.
In a gazette notice dated November 21, the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal announced they would scale down regular activities ahead of the festive period.
However, there will be limited access to urgent matters, including bail reviews, conservatory orders, and stay-of-execution applications.
For the Court of Appeal, recess will begin on December 21, 2025 and resume on January 12, 2026.
"The Court of Appeal 2025 Christmas Recess shall commence on Sunday, the 21st December, 2025 and terminate on Monday, the 12th January, 2026, both days inclusive," the gazette notice read.
During the recess, the Court of Appeal Registry will operate on reduced hours and will remain open from 9am to 12 noon on weekends.
The Supreme Court also declared its recess under a special gazette notice, announcing its break would run from December 21 to January 13, in accordance with the Constitution and Supreme Court Rules.
Chief Justice Martha Koome issued a similar notice, stating, “The Supreme Court December Recess will commence on Sunday, the 21st December 2025 and terminate on Tuesday, the 13th January 2026, both days inclusive.”
Effectively, during this time, all recesses will temporarily halt regular hearings, judgments and mentions, meaning that appeals scheduled for late December and early January will have to be pushed to later dates once the courts resume.
For litigants with pending appeals at either court should thus expect delays in processing and listing of their matters.
Lawyers, meanwhile, have been encouraged to plan filings ahead of schedule to avoid congestion when court sessions reopen.
It is also worth noting that High Courts and magistrates' courts across the country will continue normal operations, with trials, mentions and fresh filings at lower levels set to be unaffected by the appellate recess.
However, the slowdown at the appellate level during the festive period could affect cases requiring immediate transition from the High Court to the Court of Appeal or Supreme Court, since such files may not move until regular staffing resumes in mid-January.
