Judicial Officers of the Commercial Division of the High Court have undergone a hands-on training aimed at strengthening legal research through the effective use of digital tools.
The training, held on Thursday, was facilitated by HW Joel Wegoye of the Judicial Training Institute (JTI). It focused on equipping Judges, Registrars and research magistrates with practical skills in using LexisNexis and the Uganda Legal Information Institute (ULII) to enhance the quality, efficiency, and accuracy of judicial work.
In her opening remarks, Lady Justice Susan Abinyo, Deputy Head of the Division, emphasized that digital research tools are no longer optional but essential to modern adjudication. She noted that the ability to swiftly identify relevant precedents and authoritative sources significantly improves the timeliness and quality of judgments and rulings.
During the session, HW Wegoye Joel guided participants through activating their LexisNexis accounts, highlighting the platform's secure, encrypted AI system designed to prevent data leaks and minimize inaccurate outputs. He also demonstrated the advanced research capabilities of both LexisNexis and ULII, including ULII's Tanzanite package, which provides AI-assisted case summaries and enhanced analytics features.
Participants were trained on proper legal citation practices, with emphasis on their increasing importance in data analytics and jurisprudential tracking. All Judicial Officers opened personal ULII accounts, enabling them to create encrypted private notes, organise research materials into custom folders, and receive automated alerts through an AI-agent system whenever new decisions aligned with their areas of interest, or decisions by specific judges, are uploaded.
The facilitator further highlighted upcoming integrations between ULII and ECCMIS, which will allow automatic uploading of decisions from ECCMIS to ULII, streamlining publication and accessibility. The Judicial Officers were also trained on ULII's AI-generated hyperlinks that allow instant access to cited laws and authorities within judgments, as well as tools for tracking the appellate history of cases to determine whether decisions have been upheld or overturned.
Addressing concerns about the increasing use of AI-generated submissions, HW Wegoye noted that ULII remains the authoritative database for verifying the authenticity of case citations and confirming the actual holdings of courts.
Lady Justice Anna B. Mugenyi, Head of the Division, who closed the training expressed appreciation to the facilitator and noted that the enhanced use of digital research tools will greatly improve research efficiency within the Division. She encouraged Research Magistrates to fully utilise the tools to support judges in delivering timely and well-grounded decisions.
Judges in attendance included Justice Thomas Ocaya, Lady Justice Patricia Kahigi Asiimwe, Lady Justice Patricia Mutesi, Lady Justice Patience Tumusiime Rubagumya, and Lady Justice Susan Odongo. Also present were HW Chemeri Jessica(Deputy Registrar in charge of the Commercial Court Registry), HW Racheal Nakyazze (Deputy Registrar), HW Christa Namutebi (Assistant Registrar), and Research Magistrates at the Division.
Posted 19th, February 2026
