Uganda's Judiciary Targets Paperless Era with AI Integration by July 2026

Uganda’s judiciary has marked July 1, 2026, as the cutoff for ending all paper-based operations, ushering in a tech-powered digital justice framework that incorporates artificial intelligence.

High Court Deputy Registrar Zulaika Nanteza announced this at a Uganda Law Society event, noting that Chief Justice Flavian Zeija issued directives in February to enforce the shift. The move aims to cut physical interactions, boost efficiency, and curb corruption.

Central to this is the Electronic Court Case Management Information System (ECCMIS), enabling remote filing of cases, document submissions, and tracking of proceedings. Users can request hearing dates online without court visits, Nanteza explained.

Virtual hearings and audio-visual evidence-taking are expanding, allowing witnesses abroad to participate remotely. Courts have successfully run online sessions already.

AI is transforming legal work too. The Uganda Legal Information Institute (ULII) now offers AI features to summarize long judgments and extract key details quickly. Magistrate Marlene Obizu highlighted how it simplifies reviewing 50-page decisions. ULII hosts over 41,000 rulings and draws 350,000 monthly users from 45 countries.

To tackle poor connectivity in areas like Karamoja, an offline access system via the ‘Tanzanite’ package is coming. Support centers at courts will help tech-challenged users get started.

Nanteza urged lawyers to adapt swiftly, warning that staying analog isn’t viable. The reforms also promote mediation for quicker, cheaper dispute resolution.

Source: The Observer (Uganda)