HC: Civil Division (Uganda)

The Civil Division is a division of the high court. It's functions include: Hearing appeal cases from the Magistrates' courts in connection with torts committed against the person, Defamation, Bankruptcy and company winding up matters, Partnership matters,Companies matters, Real and personal property.

Physical address
Twed towers, along Kafu Road, Nakasero.
21 judgments
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21 judgments
Citation
Judgment date
November 2016
Late affidavit admitted but founding affidavit struck off for lack of deponent’s authority; injunction application dismissed.
Civil Procedure – interlocutory injunction – Order 41 CPR – requirement for notice and supporting affidavit; Order 12 r.3(2) – timelines directory not mandatory; affidavit evidence – deponent’s authority – Sections 101,103,106 Evidence Act – burden shifts when prima facie evidence disproves status; chamber summons unsupported by valid affidavit is incurably defective and struck off.
24 November 2016
Court granted extension to file a late appeal due to registry delay and public‑interest land law issues.
Civil procedure – extension of time to appeal – delay attributable to court registry in preparing/issuing certified record – applicants’ counsel partly at fault – exercise of discretion in interests of justice – public interest issues concerning customary urban land and local government ownership of public land.
23 November 2016
Court upheld a court‑authorised extraordinary meeting and the lawful election of new directors; interim injunctions vacated.
* Company law – validity of extraordinary general meeting – court-authorised meetings – sufficiency of notice and publicity. * Company law – internal management – majority rule, Foss v Harbottle, and Article 80(2) Table A – power of general meeting to appoint or remove directors. * Civil procedure – interim orders – jurisdiction to vary or vacate interim injunctions issued by another judicial officer. * Voting procedure – show of hands vs. poll – not a fatal irregularity where meeting properly convened and majority decisions prevail.
16 November 2016
Temporary injunction denied where applicant failed to show prima facie success or irreparable harm; procurement balance favoured proceeding.
* Administrative law – interim relief – test for temporary injunction: prima facie case, irreparable harm, balance of convenience. * Procurement law – PPDA statutory mandate – injunctions may not be granted where they unduly impede regulatory investigations and national procurement projects. * Procedural fairness – alleged breaches of fair hearing may be atoned by damages; not every procedural breach warrants interlocutory relief.
15 November 2016
Temporary injunction granted to preserve status quo where applicant showed prima facie case, irreparable harm, and balance of convenience.
Interlocutory injunctions – prima facie case; irreparable injury; balance of convenience; status quo preservation; res judicata not a bar to interlocutory relief; purchaser takes subject to existing equitable interests (s.64 RTA).
14 November 2016
Applicant granted leave to appeal against conditional leave to defend requiring a security deposit; application found timely with triable issues.
Civil procedure – Order 44 CPR – leave to appeal where no appeal as of right; Time bar – s.220(4) MCA inapplicable to O.44 applications; Extraction of decree – good practice not mandatory; Standard for leave – Sango Bay Estates (prima facie triable issues/substantial questions of law); Judicial discretion – reviewability of conditional security deposit as condition to defend.
11 November 2016
Consent taxation order upheld because applicants’ advocate had authority and no fraud or collusion was proved.
Civil procedure – taxation – consent Certificate of Taxation – setting aside consent – requires proof of fraud or collusion; Agency/advocate’s acts bind client (O.3 r.1 CPR); presence of party and counsel at taxation; consent upheld where no evidence of impropriety.
11 November 2016
Suspension pending investigation is lawful and does not require a pre-suspension hearing; judicial review was premature.
Judicial review – prerogative orders (certiorari, prohibition) – suspension/interdiction in public service – natural justice – whether pre-suspension hearing required – premature challenge pending investigation.
10 November 2016
Court reduced a manifestly excessive instruction fee, finding the taxing officer had erred in principle and mischaracterised the appeal.
* Taxation of costs – instruction fees – limits on interference with taxing officer’s discretion – error of principle or manifestly excessive award justify appellate intervention. * Costs law – balancing fair remuneration and access to justice; assessing complexity, novelty and volume of documentation. * Advocates (Remuneration and Taxation) – relevance of Regulation 56(1) when substantial parts of a bill are disallowed.
10 November 2016
Court set aside divorce decrees and appellate property order due to absence of sworn evidence, remitting matter for de novo hearing.
* Civil procedure – inherent jurisdiction (s.98 Civil Procedure Act) – correction of errors apparent on the face of the record; * Divorce procedure – requirement that evidence be given on oath or affirmation; * Evidence law – probative value of unsworn statements; * Appellate jurisdiction – limits where first instance proceedings are a nullity; * Remedy – setting aside decrees and remitting for de novo hearing.
10 November 2016
Application to sell impounded trailer to recoup insurer-paid taxes dismissed for lack of any enabling statutory authority.
Customs law – disposal of impounded imported goods – no statutory basis found to permit sale to recoup taxes paid by insurer; incorrect reliance on non-existent subsection of EAC Customs Management Act 2004; procedural provisions (Judicature Act, Civil Procedure Act, O.52 CPR) do not supply substantive authority for disposal.
8 November 2016
Insurer failed to prove misrepresentation, connivance or exclusion; ambiguous policy construed against insurer, appeal dismissed.
Insurance law – coverage for theft – alleged non‑disclosure/misrepresentation and connivance – burden of proof – interpretation of ambiguous exclusion clauses – uberrimae fidei applies to both parties.
8 November 2016
Stay denied where supporting affidavit was incurably defective and the time‑bound procurement bid had expired, negating status quo.
* Civil procedure – stay of execution pending appeal – requirements: notice of appeal, likelihood of success, absence of delay, and risk of substantial loss; balance of convenience and preservation of status quo. * Evidence – affidavits – jurat formalities – omission of commissioner/magistrate identification, signature and seal can render affidavit incurably defective. * Procurement – time‑bound bids – expiry of tender may render stay nugatory and affect balance of convenience.
8 November 2016
Extension of time refused where applicant failed to explain delay and had previously withdrawn a similar application.
* Civil procedure – Extension of time – Court’s wide discretion to extend time – requires satisfactory explanation for delay and absence of excessive/dilatory conduct. * Delay – unexplained or excessive delay and prior withdrawal of similar application are grounds for refusing extension. * Finality of litigation – successful parties entitled to enjoy fruit of their success where delays are not justified.
7 November 2016
Request to halt disciplinary proceedings pending judicial review denied; balance of convenience and post‑process remedies favored continuation.
* Judicial review — interlocutory relief — Rule 9(1) permits temporary injunctions * Administrative law — Commission of Inquiry findings — not automatically decisions amenable to judicial review * Civil procedure — interim injunction tests: likelihood of success, irreparable harm, balance of convenience * Sub judice rule vs statutory disciplinary processes — continuation of discipline where post‑process judicial remedies exist * Remedy — certiorari available following completion of disciplinary/investigative process
4 November 2016
Appellant failed to prove medical negligence or causation; trial court’s evaluation upheld and appeal dismissed.
Medical negligence – duty of care; breach and causation – requirement to prove negligence on balance of probabilities; Expert evidence – application of Bolam/Bolitho standards for professional opinion; Novus actus interveniens – caretaker conduct and delayed referral as breaking causal chain; Appellate review – reappraisal of evidence and upholding trial findings.
4 November 2016
UGX 100,000,000 instruction fee award upheld despite procedural error on certificate of complexity; transport claim partially allowed.
Costs and taxation – instruction fees – award of UGX 100,000,000 for consolidated judicial review applications; Taxing Master’s discretion and principles for assessing quantum; requirement for judge’s certificate of complexity under Schedule 6 item 1(a)(ix); cross-appeal on disallowed transport claim – allowance of UGX 1,000,000.
4 November 2016
Governing Council acted ultra vires and breached audi alteram partem in removing principal; certiorari granted, damages dismissed.
* Administrative law – Judicial review – duty to act fairly (audi alteram partem) where administrative decisions affect employment rights. * Ultra vires – Governing Council exceeded statutory powers in removing/replacing Principal. * Statutory appointment/posting – Principal must be appointed/posted by Education Service Commission/Permanent Secretary; posting instruction required. * Remedies – certiorari available to quash unlawful administrative acts; damages require separate cause/particulars of loss.
3 November 2016
Application for temporary injunction dismissed; applicants lacked proof of irreparable harm and status quo had already changed.
* Civil procedure – Temporary injunction – Requirements: prima facie case, irreparable harm, balance of convenience – Status quo must be preserved as at relevant time. * Possession and payment of consideration weigh on balance of convenience. * Affidavit evidence – omnibus/hearsay statements reduce probative value on irreparable harm. * Interim restraint limited to prohibition of permanent constructions altering status quo until final determination.
2 November 2016
Applicants failed to show irreparable harm or favorable balance of convenience; injunction refused but permanent construction stayed pending trial.
Interlocutory injunctions — preservation of status quo — prima facie case, irreparable harm, balance of convenience — competence of affidavits (omnibus/hearsay) — possession and prior payments — section 98 Civil Procedure Act restraint on permanent works pending trial.
2 November 2016
Applicant granted mandamus to compel respondent to comply with a served court decree after unjustified non‑compliance.
Administrative law – prerogative writs – mandamus – availability where public authority fails to comply with a valid court decree – grounds: illegality, irrationality, procedural impropriety; Judicial Review Rules – promptness and three‑month limitation.
1 November 2016