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Participants at the Judgment Writing Tool Training at the Court of Appeal Conference Hall

Justice Geoffrey Kiryabwire, Chairperson of the Judgment Writing Tool Committee and Justice of the Court of Appeal, has officially opened a two-day training for Judicial Officers on the Judgment Writing Tool (JWT) under the theme: "Harnessing Technology to Enhance Judicial Writing and Efficiency." The training is currently taking place at the Court of Appeal Building Conference Hall.

Participants include Justices of the Supreme Court, Justices of the Court of Appeal, Judges of the High Court, as well as select Judicial Officers of the lower bench.

The training is organized by the LexisNexis Rule of Law Foundation in collaboration with the Judiciary and aims to equip Judicial Officers with technological tools that support structured, clear, and efficient judgment writing. The initiative forms part of broader efforts to strengthen the quality of judicial decisions while improving efficiency in the preparation and delivery of judgments.

In his opening remarks, Justice Kiryabwire noted that the Judgment Writing Tool represents a major milestone for the Judiciary, emphasizing that discussions about leveraging technology in judicial work have now materialized into a practical tool accessible to judicial officers on their laptops. He conveyed greetings from the Chief Justice, Justice Dr Flavian Zeija and the Executive Director of the Judicial Training Institute (JTI), Justice Prof Andrew Khaukha, acknowledging the collective effort that has brought the initiative to fruition.

Justice Kiryabwire recounted how the idea of a judgment writing tool dates back to 2012during a case management training in the United Kingdom, where he encountered a Judge who had personally developed a similar tool to assist with judgment drafting. Inspired by this experience, he explored ways to develop a similar solution for Uganda's Judiciary. Although initial attempts, using open-source platforms proved challenging, the vision persisted.

He explained that the breakthrough came after establishing a partnership with LexisNexis during a legal information conference in Cape Town, South Africa. Through the LexisNexis Rule of Law Foundation, discussions began on how technology could further support Uganda's justice system. This collaboration eventually led to the development of the Judgment Writing Tool, adapted specifically to meet the needs of the Ugandan Judiciary.

Justice Kiryabwire highlighted that the Tool is uniquely integrated within Microsoft Word, allowing Judicial Officers to access Ugandan legislation, jurisprudence, and legal materials directly within the document they are drafting. This integration eliminates the need to switch between multiple platforms while conducting legal research, thereby reducing the time required to prepare judgments.

He clarified that while the tool enhances efficiency and structure, it does not replace judicial reasoning. Rather, it supports Judicial Officers by organizing their workflow, facilitating access to legal sources, and improving the clarity and consistency of judgments.

Justice Kiryabwire further noted that the project, valued at approximately UGX 2.2billion, was implemented through close collaboration between the Judiciary and the LexisNexis Rule of Law Foundation, with support from Chief Justice Emeritus Alfonse Chigamoy Owiny - Dollo and the Permanent Secretary to the Judiciary, Dr. Pius Bigirimana, for his administrative leadership and continued support in facilitating the successful implementation of the initiative. He also acknowledged the contributions of the implementation team, including Mr. David Kikabi, Principal Information Technology Officer, Mr. Andrew Semujju, Computer Programmer, Mr. Ivan Wolimbwa, Systems Administrator; Deputy Registrars; HW Juliet Hatanga (International Crimes Division) and HW Lillian Bucyana (JTI).

Speaking at the training, Ms. Afsoon McClellan, Lead Consultant of the Judgment Writing Tool from the LexisNexis Rule of Law Foundation, described the initiative as more than a technology launch, emphasizing that it represents a partnership aimed at strengthening the rule of law in Uganda.

She explained that the JWT was developed following extensive consultations with members of the bench, the bar, academia, civil society, and the Judiciary's ICT leadership. These consultations focused on challenges such as case backlog, judgment structure, clarity, and consistency.

According to Ms. McClellan, the Tool was intentionally designed to integrate seamlessly into the existing judicial workflow. It operates within Microsoft Word, supports offline functionality, and links with key judicial systems such as the Electronic Court Case Management Information System (ECCMIS) and the Uganda Legal Information Institute (ULII).

She noted that the initiative aligns with the four core principles of the LexisNexis Rule of Law Foundation: equality under the law, access to the law, an independent and unbiased Judiciary, and access to legal remedies. She emphasized that clear, timely, and well-structured judgments are central to building public confidence in the justice system.

The training commenced with the installation of the Judgment Writing Tool on participants' laptops by Information Technology officers. Mr. Obed Byamugisha, Country Coordinater for the JWT Consultancy then introduced the training objectives, methodology, and expected outcomes.

Mrs. Caroline Obbo, a Researcher and Contractor with the LexisNexis Rule of Law Foundation, provided participants with background on the development and purpose of the Judgment Writing Tool, explaining how it is designed to integrate seamlessly within the judicial workflow and support judicial officers in producing structured, efficient, and high-quality judgments.

Mr. Byamugisha later led participants through an interactive session involving in-depth use-case practice, where they will test the Tool's functionalities, apply the available judgment templates, and engage in a feedback session aimed at refining and improving the system.

The afternoon session will feature a hands-on demonstration during which participants will be guided through the platform's navigation, key features, case access, and initial practical exercises under the guidance of Ms. Obbo.

Thetraining is being moderated by HW Dr. Nakibuule Gladys Kisekka, DeputyRegistrar, JTI.