ABSTRACT
When exercising judicial authority, the courts and tribunals in Kenya are required to be guided by 159(2)(b) of the 2010 Kenyan Constitution and the principle that justice should not to be delayed. When the first COVID-19 case was reported in Kenya in March 2020, various interventions were put in place by the government and the judiciary. The interventions had two aims – control the spread of the pandemic and ensure continued service delivery. This chapter is on the sociology of law. It discusses traditional practice before diving into various measures undertaken by the judiciary as a result of the pandemic, which were issued thorough notices and guidelines. The interventions included suspension of open court proceedings and increased uptake of technology in the judiciary. This included the introduction of virtual courts through the use of video conferencing and the establishment of electronic case management. Attempts have been made to discuss the pros and cons of the virtual proceedings. The chapter inquires whether the paper-based practice that was the norm is becoming extinct with the new normal.
