The Ondo State Judiciary came into being upon the creation of Ondo State out of the old Western State of Nigeria on the 3rd day of February, 1976. The Judiciary commenced with three Judicial Divisions namely, Akure, Ondo and Ado-Ekiti
Divisions and five pioneer judges namely, Hon. Justice (Dr) Akinola Aguda, as Chief Judge, Hon. Justice C. Piper, Hon Justice O. Olatawura, Hon. Justice Olakunle Orojo, and Hon. Justice M. E. Ogundare all of blessed memories.
In November 1976, Hon Justice S. F. Adeloye was appointed as a Judge of the High Court of Ondo State thus becoming the first to be appointed in the State.
After the creation of Ekiti State in 1996, the courts in Ekiti came under Ekiti State Judiciary while the courts left behind have remained in Ondo State and from that modest beginning, the Ondo Sate Judiciary in its High Court formation is now made up of
ten (10) Judicial Divisions namely: Akure, Owo, Ikare, Ondo, Okitipupa, Ifon, Oka, Idanre, Igbara-Oke and Ore Judicial Divisions.
There are Sixty-one (61) Magistrates sitting in the Forty-two (42) Magisterial Districts across the State and Ten Rent Tribunal Districts spread all over the State and presided over by Legal Practitioners.
In 2006 pursuant to Section 280 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Law establishing the Customary Court Appeal of Ondo State was enacted by the Ondo State House of Assembly.
However, since the passage of the enabling law with the Governor's assent on 12th day of May 2007, the Court was not constituted until March 2011 when Hon. Justice Olasehinde Kumuyi, Chief Judge of Ondo State, in conjunction with the Judicial Service Commission appointed Princess Eunice Aderonke Alade and Chief Doubra as Chief Registrar and Deputy Chief Registry to start the commencement of the Customary Court of Appeal, Ondo State. These two inaugural Officers requested for pioneer staff of the Court from the High Court pool, and began operation from three borrowed office spaces of the Judicial Service Commission complex, Oke Eda, Akure.
In 2013, the Customary Court of Appeal was inaugurated with Hon. Justice F. O. Aguda-Taiwo as its pioneer President. The other 3 Judges of the Customary Court of Appeal are Hon. Justice E. A. Alade, C. T. Adesola and M. A. Owoyemi.The Court became a full-
fledged Court with the appointment of the Honourable President and three other judges of the Court by the Comrade Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, on the 14th day of February 2013.
The pioneer President was Hon. Justice Folashade Oluwatoyin Aguda-Taiwo. The other Judges were Hon. Justice Eunice Aderonke Alade (Pioneer Chief Registrar), Hon. Justice Adesola Titilayo Ikpatt, Hon. Justice Akinfemi Owoyemi and the Court has since been performing its statutory duties of attaining the millenium development goals in justice delivery.
The Court is temporarily located at the Old Secretariat Complex, Oke-Eda in Akure, Ondo State.
Chief Judges of Ondo State:
1 Late Hon. Justice (Dr) Timothy Akinola Aguda (1976-1978)
2. Late Hon. Justice (Dr) Olakunle Orojo (1978 1984)
3. Late Hon. Justice Solomon Folarin Adeloye (1984-1996)
4. Hon. Justice Sidney A. Afonja (1996- 1998)
5. Late Hon. Justice Ayoola O. Ogunleye (1998 2000)
6. Late Hon. Justice Adetunji Adetosoye (2001)
7. Late Hon. Justice J. O. Falodun (2001-2003)
8. Late Hon. Justice (Dr) Gladys Olubunmi Olateru-Olagbegi, OFR - (2003 - 2010)
9. Hon. Justice Olasehinde Kumuyi (2010 to 2017)
10. Hon. Justice Olanrewaju Olutoyin Akeredolu (2017 to 2021)
11. Hon. Justice Williams Akintoroye (2021 to 2022)
12. Hon. Justice Ayedun Odusola (2022 to present)
Presidents of the Customary Court of Appeal Ondo State:
1. Hon. Justice Folashade Oluwatoyin Aguda-Taiwo (2013-2019)
2. Hon. Justice E.A Alade (2019 - Present)