KAMPALA — Principal Judge, Lady Justice Jane Frances Abodo, on Thursday presided over the closing of a four-day Case Management Training for Judicial Officers from the Eastern Region, held at the Court of Appeal Conference Hall.
Organised by the Judicial Training Institute (JTI), the programme equipped participants with practical skills in judgment writing, criminal and civil trial procedures, active case management, and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR).
Justice Abodo reminded the officers that for many Ugandans, their first interaction with a judicial officer shapes their perception of the entire justice system. She expressed deep concern over the Judiciary’s current backlog of roughly 39,000 cases across the High Court and Magistrates’ Courts, noting that “each file represents a life on hold.”
She urged the officers to take personal responsibility for expediting case progression and emphasised that discipline, leadership, and deliberate file management remain critical to tackling backlog.
Calling for what she termed the “ADR Mindset,” the Principal Judge encouraged constant evaluation of whether matters require full trials. She stressed that mediation and plea bargaining are essential for faster, people-centred justice and urged strict adherence to the Plea Bargaining Rules. She further encouraged full utilisation of court-annexed mediation and active participation in the upcoming Settlement Fortnight.
In a significant development, Justice Abodo revealed that the Chief Justice had accredited all participants as Court-Accredited Mediators, with renewal of accreditation to be based on individual performance.
She directed Heads of Station to place ADR at the centre of their work and to submit detailed monthly statistics on mediations, settlements, and plea bargains. She also reminded Magistrates of the power of the Small Claims Procedure, which concluded 19,211 cases and unlocked UGX 4.63 billion in the 2024/25 year—without the need for formal hearings.
On personal efficiency, the Principal Judge noted that embracing ADR not only delivers timely justice but also reduces judicial workload and burnout. She urged officers to maintain punctuality, uphold discipline, and ensure daily updates on ECCMIS and CCAS, emphasising that true value for money is reflected in mediated settlements, plea bargains, consent judgments, and high-quality decisions.
She further encouraged empathetic leadership, urging officers to engage litigants respectfully, deliver clear rulings, and hold regular performance review meetings.
Justice Mike Chibita, Chairperson of the JTI Governing Council, congratulated the Principal Judge and reaffirmed the Institute’s commitment to structured continuous training. He announced that the Governing Council had approved a Training Calendar effective January 2025 to replace ad hoc programmes, noting that more than 300 officers have already been trained in case management.
JTI Executive Director, Justice Prof. Andrew Khaukha, confirmed that the calendar will be launched before the end of the year. He thanked the Ag. Chief Registrar for her support and highlighted ongoing capacity-building initiatives.
The Ag. Chief Registrar, HW Pamela Lamunu Ocaya, commended JTI for promoting inclusiveness in training and underscored the importance of discipline, efficiency, and strengthened mediation practice.
Earlier in the day, participants attended a session on criminal trial procedure led by police forensic experts Dr. Jaffer Kisitu and ACP Andrew Mubiru.
The training concluded with the awarding of Certificates of Completion and Instruments of Appointment as Court-Accredited Mediators.
