FEDERAL HIGH COURT ACT
EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM
An Act to establish the Federal High Court as a High Court with certain special powers and to provide for all other matters connected therewith.
ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS
Part I – The Constitution of the Federal High Court
Part II – Jurisdiction and Law
Part III – Sitting and Distribution of Business
Part IV – General Provisions as to Trial and Procedure
Part V – Rules of Court
Part VI – Venue
Part VII – Miscellaneous
FEDERAL HIGH COURT ACT
An Act to establish the Federal High Court as a High Court with certain special powers and to provide for all other matters connected therewith.
[COMMENCEMENT 13th April 1973]
Part I – The Constitution of the Federal High Court
Establishment of the Federal High Court.
(2) The Court shall consist of the following –
(a) the Chief Judge, who shall have overall control and supervision of the administration of the Court; and
(b) fifty Judges of the Court.
(3) The Court shall be a superior court of record and, save as otherwise provided by law, shall have all the powers of the High Court of any of the States in the Federation.
(4) The Court shall assume its functions on such date as may be appointed by an order made by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Appointment of Judges.
(2) A person shall not be qualified to hold the office of a Judge of the Court unless
(a) he is or has been a Judge of a Court having unlimited jurisdiction in civil and criminal matters in Nigeria or a court having jurisdiction in appeals from any such court; or
(b) he is qualified for admission as a legal practitioner in Nigeria and has been so qualified for not less than ten years:
Provided that in computing the period during which any person has been qualified for admission as a legal practitioner any period during which he has held office as a Judge or Magistrate after becoming so qualified shall be included.
(3) If the office of the Chief Judge is vacant or if the person holding the office is for any reason unable to perform the functions of his office, then, until a person has been appointed to and has assumed the functions of that office or until the person holding the office has resumed those functions, as the case may be, those functions shall be performed by such one of the other Judges of the Court as may, from time to time, be designated in that behalf by the President acting on his discretion from among the Judges of the Court.
(4) If the office of any Judge of the Court other than the Chief Judge’s is vacant or if the person holding the office is acting as Chief Judge or is for any reason unable to perform the functions of his office, the President acting after consultation with the Federal Judicial Service Commission, may appoint a person with such qualifications as prescribed in this Act to act in the office of a Judge of the Court; and any person so appointed shall continue to act for the period of the appointment or if no period is specified until his appointment is revoked.
Tenure of office of Judges.
Precedence.
(2) The Chief Judge shall rank equal with the Chief Judge of the States of the Federation and of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja in precedence and the Judges of the Court shall, in like manner, rank with the Judges of the High Courts of the States and of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Salaries and allowances of Judges.
(2) There shall also be paid to each Judge on account of expenses incurred in connection with his office or otherwise such allowances as are considered reasonable by the Federal Government.
(3) The amounts payable under the provisions of this section shall be charged upon and paid out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation.
Seal of the Court.
(2) The seal shall be kept by the Chief Judge and the duplicate thereof shall be kept by each of the other Judges, and the Chief and other Judges may entrust the seal or duplicate to such officers of Court as they may think fit.
(3) Such seal shall be a seal of the Court for all purposes for which it may be required under the provisions of any enactment or Rule of Court.
Part II – Jurisdiction and Law
Jurisdiction, etc.
(a) relating to the revenue of the Government of the Federation in which the said Government or any organ thereof or a person suing or being sued on behalf of the said Government is a party;
(b) connected with or pertaining to-
(i) the taxation of companies and of other bodies established or carrying on business in Nigeria and all other persons subject to Federal taxation,
(ii) customs and excise duties,
(iii) banking, foreign exchange, currency or other fiscal measures;
(c) arising from-
(i) the operation of the Companies and Allied Matters Act or any other enactment regulating the operation of companies incorporated under the Companies and Allied Matters Act,
(ii) any enactment relating to copyright, patents, designs, trade marks and merchandise marks;
(d) of Admiralty jurisdiction.
(2) The Court shall also have and exercise jurisdiction and powers in respect of criminal causes and matters arising out of or connected with any of the matters in respect of which jurisdiction is conferred by subsection (1) of this section.
(3) The jurisdiction conferred under subsection (1) of this section in respect of criminal causes and matters shall without prejudice to the generality of that subsection and subject to section 64(3) of this Act include original jurisdiction in respect of offences under the provisions of the Criminal Code Act being offences in relation to which proceedings may be initiated at the instance of the Attorney- General of the Federation.
(4) The National Assembly may by an Act confer jurisdiction on the Court in respect of such other causes and matters of like nature as those set out in the foregoing subsections as he may, from time to time, at his discretion specify.
Cesser of jurisdiction, etc.
(2) Notwithstanding subsection (1) of this section, the President may by order and to the extent set out in the said order vest in the High Court or any other court of a State or of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja Federal jurisdiction either generally in relation to the causes and matters set out in the preceding section or specially in relation to any particular cause or matter which may be specified in the said order.
(3) Nothing in the foregoing provisions of this section shall affect the jurisdiction and all other powers of the High Court or any other court of a State to continue to hear and determine causes and matters which are part-heard before such court at the date of the assumption of the functions of the Federal High Court or at the date when jurisdiction is otherwise conferred on the Court by the President, and any proceedings in any such causes and matters, which are still part-heard at the expiration of the period of six months beginning with the date of assumption of the functions of the Court or at the date when jurisdiction is otherwise conferred on the Court, shall abate on the expiration of that period.
Practice and procedure.
(2) Where a matter arises in respect of which no provision of no adequate provisions are made in the Rules under subsection (1) of this Act or in any other Act, Decree or enactment, the Court shall adopt such procedure as it deems fit to do substantial justice between the parties concerned
Administration of law and equity.
Determination of matter completely and finally.
Rules of equity to prevail.
Injunctions and receivers.
(2) Any such order may be made either unconditionally or on such terms and conditions as the Court thinks just.
(3) If, whether before, or at, or after the hearing of any civil cause, or matter, an application is made for an injunction to prevent any threatened or apprehended waste or trespass, the injunction may be granted, if the Court thinks fit, whether the person against whom the injunction is sought is or is not in possession under any claim of title or otherwise, or (if out of possession) does or does not claim a right to do the act sought to be restrained under colour of title, and whether the estates claimed by both or by either of the parties are legal or equitable.
(4) The power conferred by this section to grant an injunction by an interlocutory order may be exercised notwithstanding that the same is granted against an officer or authority of the Federation as such.
Orders of mandamus, prohibition and certiorari.
(2) The power conferred by this section to make an order of mandamus, prohibition or certiorari may be exercised notwithstanding that the order is made against an officer or authority of the Federation as such.
(3) Subject to the foregoing provision of this section, the references in any written law to any writ of mandamus, prohibition or certiorari shall be construed as references to an order corresponding thereto and the references to the issue or award of any such order shall in like manner be so construed.
Injunction in lieu of quo warranto..
Execution of instruments by order of Court.
Reconciliation in civil and criminal cases.
Reservation of point of law for Court of Appeal.
Part III – Sitting and Distribution of Business
Divisions of the Court.
(2) For the more convenient despatch of business, the Court may sit in any one or more Judicial Divisions as the Chief Judge may direct, and he may also direct one or more Judges to sit in any one or more of the Judicial Divisions.
(3) The Chief Judge shall determine the distribution of the business before the Court amongst the Judges thereof and may assign any judicial function to any Judge or Judges or in respect of a particular cause or matter in a Judicial Division.
(4) Subject to the directions of the Chief Judge, every Judge of the Court shall sit for the trial of civil and criminal causes or matters and for the disposal of other legal business pending at such places in the Federation and at such times as the Chief Judge may think fit.
Sittings.
(2) Provisions shall be made for the hearing of all such applications as may be required to be expeditiously or immediately heard.
Judge’s absence.
Power of transfer.
(2) No cause or matter shall be struck out by the Court merely on the ground that such cause or matter was taken in the Court instead of the High Court of a State or of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja in which it ought to have been brought, and the Judge of the Court before whom such cause or matter is brought may cause such cause or matter to be transferred to the appropriate High Court of a State or of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja in accordance with Rules of Court to be made under section 44 of this Act.
(3) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any law, no cause or matter shall be struck out by the High Court of a State or of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja on the ground that such cause or matter was taken in the High Court instead of the Court, and the Judge before whom such cause or matter is brought may cause such cause or matter to be transferred to the appropriate Judicial Division of the Court in accordance with such rules of court as may be in force in that High Court or made under any enactment or law empowering the making of rules of court generally which enactment or law shall by virtue of this subsection be deemed also to include power to make rules of court for the purposes of this subsection.
(4) Every order of transfer made pursuant to subsection (2) or (3) of this section shall operate as a stay of proceedings before the court before which such proceedings are brought or instituted and shall not be subject to appeal.
(5) Where the court to which any cause or matter has been transferred pursuant to subsection (2) or (3) of this section is of opinion that the cause or matter ought in law to be dealt with by the court which transferred the cause or matter, the Judge presiding in the first mentioned court shall after hearing counsel on behalf of the parties state a case on a point oil law for the opinion of the Court of Appeal.
(6) Where any case on a point of law is stated for the opinion of the Court of Appeal, the Court of Appeal shall, in accordance with rules applicable in that court, give its decision upon the case and the court which stated the case shall dispose of the cause or matter accordingly.
Proceedings to be disposed of by single Judge.
Proceedings to be disposed of by single Judge.
Powers of single Judge in Court and in chambers.
Discharge of orders made in chambers.
Power to transfer causes or matters to magistrates’ courts.
Transfer of causes or matters from magistrates’ courts.
(2) The Chief Judge of the State or of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja may on receipt of the report made pursuant to subsection (1) of this section exercise in respect of the cause or matter so reported the same power of transfer as is conferred by subsection (3) of section 22 of this Act; and the provisions of subsections (4) to (6) of that section shall apply in respect of such transfer to the same extent as they apply in respect of transfers made under that section.
Appellate jurisdiction.
(a) the decisions of Appeal Commissioners established under the Companies Income Tax Act and the Personal Income Tax Act in so far as applicable as Federal law;
(b) the decisions of the Customs, Immigration and Prison Services Board established under the Customs, Immigration and Prison Services Act;
(c) the decisions of magistrates’ courts in respect of civil or criminal causes or matters transferred to such courts pursuant to this Act, and
(d) the decisions of any other body established by or under any other Federal enactment or law in respect of matters concerning which jurisdiction is conferred by this Act.
Power of Court in civil appeals.
(a) confirm, vary or set aside the judgment or order of the court or body mentioned therein; or
(b) order a rehearing and determination on such terms as the Court may think just; or
(c) order judgment to be entered for any party; or
(d) make a final or other order on such terms as the Court may think proper to ensure the determination on the merits of the real questions in controversy between the parties.
Power of Court in criminal appeals
(a) maintain the conviction and dismiss the appeal; or
(b) allow the appeal and set the conviction aside if it appears to the Court that the conviction should be set aside on the ground that it was, having regard to the evidence adduced, unreasonable, or that the conviction should be set aside on the ground of a wrong decision on any question of law, or on the ground that there was a substantial miscarriage of justice:
Provided that the Court, notwithstanding that it is of the opinion that the point raised in the appeal might be decided in favour of the appellant, may dismiss the appeal if it considers that no substantial miscarriage of justice has actually occurred; or
(c) set aside the conviction and convict the appellant of any offence of which he might lawfully have been convicted by the magistrate upon the evidence and sentence him accordingly; or
(d) set aside the conviction and order that the appellant be re-tried in a court of competent jurisdiction; or
(e) substitute for the conviction a special finding that the appellant was insane at the time that he did the act or made the omission constituting the offence with which he was charged before the magistrate.
Power of Court on appeal against acquittal or dismissal.
(a) affirm the decision of the trial court and dismiss the appeal; or
(b) remit the case, together with the judgment of the Court on the case, to the trial court for determination, whether or not by way of rehearing, with such directions as the Court may think necessary.
(2) Subject as aforesaid, on an appeal against an acquittal or dismissal, the Court shall make any amendment or any consequential or incidental order that may appear just and proper.
Appeals to the Court of Appeal.
Part 1V – General Provisions to Trial and Procedure
Criminal procedure.
(2) Notwithstanding the generality of subsection (1) of this section all criminal causes or matters before the Court shall be tried summarily.
(3) For the purposes of this section, except the contrary intention appears from the context, any reference in the Criminal Procedure Act to the Attorney-General of a State shall be construed as a reference to the Attorney-General of the Federation.
Trial of revenue causes or matters in priority to any other business.
(2) In this section, “revenue causes or matters” means causes or matters concerned with, involving or pertaining to the revenue of the Government of the Federation in respect of which jurisdiction is conferred upon the Court by or under the provisions of this Act.
Trial with assessors.
(2) The remuneration, if any, to be paid to an assessor shall be as determined by the Court or otherwise as so prescribed.
Reference for report.
(2) The report of an official or special referee may be adopted wholly or partially by the Court or a Judge and, if so adopted, may be endorsed as a judgment or order to the same effect.
Reference for trial.
(a) if all the parties interested, who are not under disability, consent; or
(b) if the cause or matter requires any prolonged examination of documents or any scientific or local investigation which cannot in the opinion of the Court conveniently be conducted by the Court through its ordinary officers; or
(c) if the question in dispute consists wholly or in part of accounts, the Court or a Judge may at any time order the whole cause or matter, or any question or issue of fact arising therein, to be tried before a special referee or an official referee or officer of the Court or arbitrator respectively agreed on by the parties.
Powers and remuneration of referee and arbitrators.
(2) The report of an official or special referee on any reference shall, if adopted and not set aside by the Court or a Judge, be equivalent to a finding of the Court or of the judge.
(3) An award of an arbitrator on any reference, shall unless remitted pursuant to section 11 or set aside on the ground mentioned in section 12 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, be binding on the Court or a Judge and equivalent to its finding.
(4) The remuneration to be paid to a special referee or arbitrator to whom any matter is referred under an order of the Court or a Judge shall be determined by the Court or a Judge.
Court to have powers as in submissions.
Power to order habeas corpus to issue.
Statement of case pending arbitration.
Power of Court to impose terms as to costs.
Meaning of “reference”.
Part V – Rules of Court
Power to make Rules of Court.
(a) regulating the practice and procedure of the Court, including all matters connected with the forms to be used and the fees to be paid;
(b) prescribing the practice and procedure upon an appeal or an application to the Court where provision is made in any enactment or law for such an appeal or such an application;
(c) regulating the practice and procedure in cases where an order of mandamus, prohibition or certiorari is sought or proceedings are taken for an injunction;
(d) regulating, subject to the provisions of this Act, trials by the Court with assessors;
(e) regulating-
(i) the fees to be paid, and
(ii) the taxation and recovery of fees and disbursements;
(f) defining, so far as may be conveniently defined by general rules, the duties of the several officers of Court;
(g) regulating, subject to the provisions of this Act, the sittings of the Court and of the Judges thereof whether sitting in Court or chambers, the business and hours of the Court and of the offices connected therewith, and the conduct of the business of the Court during vacation;
(h) prescribing what part of the business which may be transacted and of the jurisdiction which may be exercised by Judges of the Court in chambers or may be transacted or exercised by registrars or other officers of the Court;
(i) regulating any matters relating to the costs of proceedings in the Court;
(j) regulating the means by which any judgment or decree of any court outside Nigeria or of the Supreme Court of Nigeria or the former Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, High Court or any other superior court established or to be established elsewhere in Nigeria which it is necessary to prove or lawful to enforce shall be proved or enforced;
(k) regulating the arrest of absconding defendants and the giving of security for their release;
(l) regulating the payment of allowances and travelling expenses of witnesses;
(m) imposing penalties on any person who fails to take any action required by a Rule of Court or who disobeys any Rule of Court;
(n) for requiring and regulating the filing of accounts;
(o) for regulating the procedure in respect of any matter in which the Court has and may exercise original or appellate jurisdiction under this Act and for fixing the fees payable or providing that no fees be paid or that certain fees need not be paid;
(p) for ascertaining the value of anything that requires to be ascertained;
(q) for regulating and prescribing the duties and procedure of assessors, referees and arbitrators;
(r) for regulating the means by which particular facts may, be proved, and the mode in which evidence thereof may be given, in any proceedings or on any application in connection with or at any stage of any proceedings;
(s) for providing for the service or execution of any writ, warrant, order or other process issuing out of the Court, the payment of mileage allowance before or after service or execution, the conditions precedent before any such process or process of certain classes will be served or executed and the procedure to be followed after the service or execution of such process;
(t) for providing for the taking of shorthand notes of evidence and proceedings in the Court and for the payment of fees for the taking of notes out of public funds, and for fixing the charges for the making and supply of transcripts of the notes, and for the payment of such charges either by the parties to the proceedings or out of public funds;
(u) prescribing the procedure for the transfer of proceedings from the Court to the High Court of a State or of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and to a Magistrate’s court; and
(v) for prescribing vacations.
(2) Rules of Court made under this section shall apply to all proceedings by or against the Government of the Federation.
Part V1 – Venue
Places where offence may be tried.
(a) an offence shall be tried by a Court exercising jurisdiction in the area or place where the offence was committed; or
(b) when a person is accused of the commission of any offence by reason of anything which has been omitted to be done, and of any consequence which has ensued, such offence may be tried by a Court exercising jurisdiction in the area or place in which any such thing has been done or omitted to be done, or any such consequence has ensued; or
(c) when an act is an offence by reason of its relation to any other act which is also an offence, a charge of the first mentioned offence may be tried by a Court exercising jurisdiction in the area or place either in which it happened, or in which the offence with which it was so connected happened; or
(d) when-
(i) it is uncertain in which of several areas or places an offence was committed, or
(ii) an offence is committed partly in one area or place and partly in another, or
(iii) an offence is a continuing one and continues to be committed in more areas or places than one, or
(iv) an offence consists of several acts committed in different areas or places,
such offence may be tried by a Court exercising jurisdiction in any of such areas or places; or
(e) an offence committed while the offender is in the course of performing a journey or voyage may be tried by a Court in or into the area or place of whose jurisdiction the offender or person against whom or the thing in respect of which the offence was committed resides, is or passed in the course of that journey or voyage.
Part VII – Miscellaneous
Chief Registrar and other officers of Court.
(2) The Federal Judicial Service Commission may, from time to time, appoint registrars, deputy registrars and such other officers as may be deemed necessary who shall perform all such duties with respect to business before the Court as may be directed by Rules of Court and any order of the Chief Judge.
(3) The Chief Registrar, registrars and deputy registrars shall have power to administer oaths and perform such other duties with respect to any proceedings in the Court as may be prescribed by the rules or by any special order of the Chief Judge.
Negligence or misconduct of officers.
Restriction on officers of Court buying property sold at execution.
Provided that nothing herein contained shall prevent any such person from purchasing by leave of the Court at an execution sale any property which it may be necessary for him to purchase in order to protect the interest of himself, his wife or child.
Costs.
Allowances to witnesses.
(2) No person may refuse to attend as a witness, or to give evidence when so required by process of the Court, on the ground that his expenses have not been first paid or provided for.
How allowances are to be defrayed.
Person in Court may be required to give evidence though not summoned.
In what cases prisoners may be brought by warrant to give evidence.
Provided that such warrant shall not be granted as of course, unless the Judge shall have probable grounds for believing that the evidence of the prisoner is likely to prove material.
Production and custody of prisoners required to give evidence.
Law not to affect rules of evidence or jurisdiction.
Provided that nothing in this section shall-
(a) prejudice the operation of any Rules of Court made in pursuance of the express power conferred by this Act to make Rules of Court for regulating the means by which particular facts may be proved and the mode in which evidence thereof may be given; or
(b) affect the power of the Court for special reasons to allow depositions or affidavits to be read.
Representation of the Government, etc.
(2) In any civil cause or matter in which the Government of the Federation or any public officer in his official capacity is a party or in any civil cause or matter affecting the revenue of the Government of the Federation, that Government or that officer may be represented by a law officer, State Counsel, or any legal practitioner or other person duly authorised in that behalf by or on behalf of the Attorney-General of the Federation.
Right to practise.
Provisions pending appeal.
(2) Subject to the provisions of subsections (1) of this section, an appeal to the Court of Appeal shall not operate as a stay of execution but the Court may order a stay of execution either unconditionally or upon the performance of such conditions as may be imposed in accordance with Rules of Court.
Notes of evidence and minutes of proceedings to be kept by presiding Judge.
Provided that the presiding Judge may cause the whole or any part of the proceedings to be recorded in shorthand by an official shorthand-writer in accordance with such conditions as may be imposed by Rules of Court.
(2) No person shall be entitled, as of right, to the inspection of or to a copy of the records so kept as aforesaid save as may be expressly provided for by Rules of Court.
(3) The record so kept as aforesaid or a copy thereof purporting to be signed and certified as a true copy by the registrar shall at all times, without further proof, be admitted as evidence of such proceedings and of the statements made by the witnesses.
Inspection.
Chief Judge may appoint commissioners for affidavits or for taking evidence.
Protection of commissioner from action.
Judicial officers not liable to be sued if they acted in good faith.
(2) No officer of the Court or other person bound to execute the lawful warrants or orders of any such Judge or other person acting judicially shall be liable to be sued in any court, for the execution of any warrant or order which he would be bound to execute, if within the jurisdiction of the person issuing the same.
interpretation.
“Action” means a civil proceeding commenced by writ or in such other manner as may be prescribed by Rules of Court but does not include a criminal proceeding;
“Cause” includes any action, suit or other original proceeding between a plaintiff and a defendant, and any criminal proceedings;
“Chief Judge” means the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court appointed under section 2 of this Act;
“Constitution” means the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria;
“Court” means the Federal High Court and includes the Judges of the Federal High Court sitting together or separately;
“Court of Appeal” means the Court of Appeal as established by section 217 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria;
“Defendant” includes every person served with any writ of summons or process, or served with notice of, or entitled to attend as a person to be affected by the decision in, any civil proceedings, and also every person charged under any process of the Court with any crime or offence;
“Enactment” means any Act of the National Assembly, (including this Act) or law having effect with respect to the Federation or applicable or having effect as Federal law;
“Federal High Court” means the Federal High Court established by section 1 of this Act;
“Former Supreme Court” means the Supreme Court of Justice established under the Supreme Court Act;
“Judge” except where the reference is to the Judge of a High Court of a State, means the Chief Judge or other Judge of the Federal High Court;
“Judgment” includes a decision, decree or order of a court of record;
“Matter” includes every proceeding in court not in a cause;
“Party” includes every person served with notice of, or attending, any proceeding who, although not named on the record of the proceeding, has the like interest in the subject-matter of the proceeding as a person named on the record of the proceedings;
“Plaintiff” includes every person asking any relief (otherwise than by way of counter-claim as a defendant) against any other person by any form of proceeding, whether the proceeding is by action, suit, petition, motion, summons or otherwise;
“Registrar” includes the Chief Registrar and all other registrars of the Court;
“Suit” includes action; and
(2) For enabling full effect to be given to the provisions of this Act-
(a) any reference (whether express or by necessary implication) in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to a “High Court of a territory”, `High Court”, `court of law” or a `court of record”-
(i) in so far as the reference relates to or is connected with the jurisdiction, powers, practice and procedure of a High Court; and
(ii) except in so far as it is inconsistent with the provisions of this Act; shall include a reference to the Court established by this Act; and
(b) all references (whether express or by necessary implication) in any enactment (other than the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria) to the High Court of a State in so far as the enactment-
(i) is of general application throughout the Federation; and
(ii) relates to a matter as respects which jurisdiction is conferred upon the Court by or under this Act,
shall be construed as references to the Court, notwithstanding that in an appropriate case the enactment is, or has become, by operation of law, a law of a State.
(3) The powers conferred upon the Attorney-General of the Federation and exercisable by him or the Attorney- General of a State under section 160 of the Constitution or anything made thereunder shall, to the extent that jurisdiction is conferred upon the Court or the High Court of a State by or pursuant to this Act, be exercisable subject as in this Act otherwise provided, and that section and any other enactment or law pertaining thereto shall be so construed
(4) For the avoidance of doubt the following enactments-
(a) the Regional Courts (Federal Jurisdiction) Act,
(b) the Criminal Procedure (Northern States) Act,
(c) the Penal Code (Northern States) Federal Provisions Act;
(d) section 31 of the Interpretation Act;
(e) the Admiralty Jurisdiction Act; and
(f) such other Federal enactment as the President may by order specify,
Shall be construed with such modifications as may be necessary to bring them into conformity with the provisions of this Act.
Savings.
Short title.