The Deputy Chief Justice, HW Richard Buteera, has called on the judiciary to embrace digital transformation in a bid to improve and streamline judicial processes in the court systems.
This was during the High Court Quarterly Performance Review Retreat for the Heads and Deputy Heads of Circuits and Divisions and the Case Management Committee at the Admas Grand Hotel in Entebbe on Thursday, November 21, 2024.
The retreat aimed at improving the performance of the judiciary, with the primary objective of reviewing the High Court’s performance in the first quarter of the Financial Year 2024/25.
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In his remarks, Justice Buteera encouraged the judges to do away with the lucrative ways of handling cases and embrace the new digital tools, which will help improve case management and data accuracy and also streamline the judicial processes in the court systems.
“Digital innovation is not just a trend; it is a necessity. Embracing it allows us to increase efficiency exponentially and strengthen trust in the judiciary,” he said.
The Deputy Chief Justice also acknowledged the International Development Law Organization (IDLO) for their continued support in strengthening skills and making justice more accessible, noting that such collaborations were a “strategic asset” since they help navigate the movement to a more digitalized judicial system.
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Justice Buteera further highlighted how valuable the quarterly retreats are for sharing experiences and improving how the judiciary handles data across different regions. He urged everyone involved to use digital tools to make court operations better and ensure justice is delivered quickly and effectively.
He encouraged the judges to embrace the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), which will help in reducing the number of pending cases, adding that countries like the United States bear witness to approximately 80% of case resolutions through ADR mechanisms. HW Buteera encouraged participants to think of new ways to use ADR and Alternative Justice Systems (AJS) that focus on the needs of the people when it comes to justice.
