Judiciary Prepares to Conduct Second Court Case Census

The Judiciary of Uganda has announced plans to hold its second National Court Case Census from January 13 to January 15, 2025.

This initiative, which comes a decade after the first census in 2015, was unveiled by Deputy Chief Justice Richard Buteera during a press conference at the Judiciary Headquarters in Kampala.

The census aims to document and analyze pending cases across all court levels, including the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal/Constitutional Court, High Court, Chief Magistrates’ Courts, and Magistrates Grade I and II Courts.

Deputy Chief Justice Buteera emphasized that the exercise seeks to address persistent challenges such as case backlogs, inefficiencies in case management, and limited access to timely justice. He noted that the data collected would inform policy recommendations to streamline court processes and reduce delays.

Justice Buteera urged the public, court users, and media outlets to support and raise awareness about the census. The three-day exercise will take place at court registries nationwide, overseen by a task force established under the Case Management Committee.

The results of the census will be compiled into a comprehensive report to be shared with stakeholders and the public for further discussion. The Judiciary announced that cases previously scheduled for the census dates would be adjourned, with new hearing dates assigned before the exercise begins. 

During the census period, all court registries will remain open for filing civil pleadings, and criminal charges, and taking pleas for new cases. However, no new hearing dates will be scheduled. “…Courts will not schedule new hearing dates during this period. Instead, new dates will be given to parties and stakeholders, including the Uganda Prisons Service, the Attorney General, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, and advocates, among others,” Buteera clarified.

According to the Judiciary’s Annual Report for the Financial Year 2023/2024, released by Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo in October 2024, 239,431 cases were completed out of a total caseload of 401,269 cases. In Uganda, a case is classified as a backlog if it remains unresolved within two years of being filed in the court system.