Justice Kodagoda Highlights Judicial Challenges, Cites Over-Reliance on Litigation as Key Cause of Delays

Supreme Court Justice Yasantha Kodagoda has highlighted numerous challenges facing Sri Lanka's judges and the judicial system. Speaking at the launch of a book on bail law and a Colombo seminar, Justice Kodagoda stated that excessive reliance on litigation is a primary cause of court congestion and significant delays in dispensing justice. He explained that a judge's role is judicial adjudication based on presented evidence, distinct from an investigator's task of seeking truth. Justice Kodagoda also noted that as a common law country, Sri Lanka requires judges to carefully consider various interpretations of published judgments.