The High Court has temporarily barred the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) from disrupting court proceedings involving judges and judicial officers, delivering a significant ruling in the growing dispute over the society's nationwide boycott of parts of the Judiciary.

In an order issued on Monday, Justice David Mburu granted interim conservatory orders restraining the LSK from interfering with proceedings before judges named in its boycott notice, as well as any other judicial officers, until a preliminary objection on the court's jurisdiction is heard.

"There will be an interim conservatory order restraining the respondent from disrupting and/or interfering with court proceedings before the judges mentioned in their communication or any other Judge and Judicial Officer pending the hearing of the PO," Justice Mburu ruled.

The orders will remain in force until September 17, when the court is expected to consider the preliminary objection.

The case was brought by lawyer Adrian Kamotho, who argues that the LSK's directive to boycott proceedings involving Chief Justice Martha Koome, Deputy Chief Justice Philomena Mwilu and several other judges is unconstitutional. According to the petition, the boycott undermines the administration of justice and limits litigants' constitutional right to have their cases heard without unnecessary delay.

Lawyers representing interested parties, including judges affected by the directive, also opposed the boycott. They argued that organised refusals to appear before specific judges interfere with the functioning of the courts and weaken public confidence in the justice system.

The dispute follows the LSK's decision to launch an indefinite boycott over concerns about alleged corruption, governance failures and case backlogs within the Judiciary. The society has maintained that the action is intended to push for institutional reforms and greater accountability.

Chief Justice Koome has previously rejected claims that the Judiciary is in crisis, insisting that courts remain operational and capable of delivering justice despite the protest.

Justice Mburu's interim orders do not determine the merits of the dispute. Instead, they preserve the status quo while the court first decides whether it has jurisdiction to hear the matter before considering the substantive constitutional issues raised by the petition.

The ruling is likely to have immediate implications for court operations, allowing proceedings involving the affected judges to continue as the legal battle over the LSK's boycott moves to its next stage.