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Citation
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Judgment date
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| November 2025 |
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Purported customary marriage held void ab initio due to respondent's subsisting monogamous marriage; petition dismissed.
Customary marriage — Section 11(e) Customary Marriages (Registration) Act — purported customary marriage void ab initio where a party has a subsisting monogamous marriage; cohabitants' property claims — equitable, trust and common law remedies; preliminary objections — applicability where central legal issue disposes of petition; possible bigamy prosecution under Penal Code Section 142.
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14 November 2025 |
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Letters of administration obtained by forgery may be revoked and a fresh grant made to proper beneficiaries, with damages and costs.
Succession law – grant of letters of administration – revocation for just cause – fraud and concealment as grounds for revocation; certificate of no objection forged; gift inter vivos requirements; entitlement to letters and relief including damages and costs.
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14 November 2025 |
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Court extended letters of administration and granted leave to file a late inventory, finding sufficient cause and beneficiaries' consent.
Succession law; extension of expired letters of administration under Section 337(2) & (4); leave to file inventory out of time under Section 273; sufficient cause standard; beneficiaries’ consent; directions for inventory content and filing timeframe.
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11 November 2025 |
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Whether contested land and shares form part of the deceased’s estate, validity of caveat, and appropriate administrators.
Succession law – determination of estate property; joint tenancy and right of survivorship; corporate personality and transmission of shares; validity and purpose of caveats in administration proceedings; fit and proper test for appointment of administrators.
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7 November 2025 |
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Court granted administrators leave to file the estate inventory out of time for sufficient cause and beneficiary consent.
Succession Act s.273(1) – filing inventory – extension of time; sufficiency of cause; administrators’ duty; absence of dilatory conduct; beneficiary consent; mandatory contents and timeline for updated inventory.
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6 November 2025 |
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The applicants' expired letters of administration were extended for two years due to encroachment, pending suit and beneficiaries' consent.
* Succession Act – extension of letters of administration – applicability of Section 337(2) and (4) for grants issued before 31 May 2022.
* Procedural irregularity – wrong citation of statute – wrong citation not fatal where court has jurisdiction and correct law applies.
* Estate administration – encroachment, unlawful sales and pending litigation as sufficient cause to extend grant; beneficiaries’ consent relevant.
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6 November 2025 |
| October 2025 |
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Court renewed expired letters of administration, revoked inoperative co-administrator's grant, and allowed late inventory filing.
* Succession law – Renewal/extension of expired letters of administration – Section 337 Succession Act and Interpretation Act s34(3).
* Succession law – Revocation/amendment of grant where co-administrator has died – inoperative grant and protection of beneficiaries.
* Succession law – Filing inventory out of time – sufficient cause, discretion to extend time and conditions for late inventory.
* Civil procedure – Exercise of court’s discretion to advance substantial justice in estate administration matters.
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31 October 2025 |
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Court upheld jurisdiction, found several properties matrimonial, awarded equal shares and ordered maintenance for adult children in education.
• Family law – Jurisdiction – High Court may entertain divorce where marriage was solemnized in Uganda despite parties residing abroad.
• Family law – Matrimonial property – Determination requires proof of registration and direct or indirect contribution; not all property in one spouse’s name is excluded.
• Evidence – Technical non-compliance with sealing of annexures is curable where no prejudice occasioned.
• Maintenance – Parental obligation may continue for adult children in education; court may order maintenance until undergraduate completion.
• Remedies – Sale by public auction and equal division of proceeds; award of costs to successful spouse.
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31 October 2025 |
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Court validated late estate accounts and extended Letters of Administration to the surviving administrator with beneficiaries' consent.
Succession Act – Extension and renewal of Letters of Administration – validation of late inventory and account – death of co-administrator – pension benefits excluded from two-year limit – beneficiaries' consent.
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30 October 2025 |
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Court classified three properties as matrimonial or individual, allocating shares based on timing, contributions and use.
* Family law – matrimonial property – determination of matrimonial vs individual property based on timing of acquisition, registration, contributions and use as family home.
* Evidence – burden to plead and prove customary marriage/cohabitation and contributions (monetary or non-monetary).
* Property distribution – valuation by Government Valuer or agreed valuer; payment of balancing shares within one year or sale and sharing of proceeds.
* Costs – each party to bear own costs; valuation costs allocated to paying party.
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29 October 2025 |
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Plaintiff lacked locus to claim under the estate, but administrator’s failure to file inventory justified revocation of letters.
Succession law – locus standi and proof of beneficiary status; evidentiary proof of paternity; mandatory duty to file inventory under the Succession Act; failure to exhibit inventory as just cause for revocation of letters of administration (s.230(1)(e)).
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24 October 2025 |
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Court renewed applicants' letters of administration for two years after validating a late inventory and ordering an account.
Succession Act — Extension of Letters of Administration (ss. 337, 256) — beneficiary consent required — validation of late partial inventory — pension benefits excluded from two-year validity limit — requirement to file estate accounts prior to renewal.
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23 October 2025 |
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Court authorized personal representatives to sell patient's moveable assets to pay outstanding hospital bills and ordered estate to bear costs.
* Personal representatives – power to manage estate – requirement to obtain leave of court before disposing of moveable/immoveable assets. * Estate administration – payment of patient’s medical debts from estate assets. * Family notice – duty to inform next of kin and effect of consent or non-response. * Remedy – court may authorize sale where patient welfare and continued treatment justify disposal.
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21 October 2025 |
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Court renewed letters of administration and allowed late filing of inventory/accountability for sufficient cause and beneficiaries' consent.
Succession Act – renewal of letters of administration (ss. 337(2),(4)); extension of time to file estate inventory and accountability (s. 273(1)); factors: best interests of beneficiaries, compliance with statutory timelines, administrators’ conduct, consent of beneficiaries, sufficient cause (identification of assets, caveats, government acquisition, ongoing litigation).
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20 October 2025 |
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Legal guardianship granted where petitioner proves child's best interests and biological parents are untraceable.
Children Act – welfare of the child paramount – legal guardianship – statutory requirements (age, citizenship, probation/social welfare report, police clearance) – waiver of parental consent where parents unknown or untraceable – guardian powers to obtain documents and travel – guardianship lapses at majority.
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20 October 2025 |
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Court refused stay pending appeal; upheld contempt finding and ordered applicants' committal and execution.
Contempt of court; Letters of Administration; stay of execution pending appeal — conditions: notice of appeal, absence of unreasonable delay, realistic prospect of success, risk of appeal being rendered nugatory; public interest in enforcing court orders; civil committal for contempt.
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17 October 2025 |
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Court granted administrators leave to file the estate inventory out of time after finding sufficient cause and imposed a 30-day filing deadline.
* Succession Act s.273(1) – Requirement to file inventory within six months – Court’s discretion to extend time for sufficient cause.
* Extension of time – "sufficient cause" test: satisfactory explanation for delay, absence of dilatory conduct, prevention of injustice.
* Estate administration – duties of administrators; required contents and documentary proof for inventories; timelines and conditions for late filing.
* Court may extend letters of administration to enable completion of estate distribution.
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16 October 2025 |
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Applicant permitted to file estate inventory late due to beneficiaries abroad; court grants 30 days to file.
Succession Act s.273(1) – statutory six‑month inventory requirement – court discretion to extend time; sufficient cause for delay (beneficiaries abroad, consent, interim filings); duties and documentary requirements of administrators; direction to file updated inventory within 30 days.
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16 October 2025 |
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Application to set aside leave to tax an advocate-client bill denied; taxation to proceed and costs awarded to respondent.
Advocates’ costs — Review of order granting leave to tax advocate-client bill — Scope of review under Section 82 CPA and Order 46 Rule 1 — Pre-taxation meeting under Section 13A of Advocates (Remuneration & Taxation of Costs) Regulations — Alleged prior-counsel negligence not a bar to taxation.
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16 October 2025 |
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Order 17 Rule 4 dismissal is final and bars refiling; appeal is the proper remedy.
Res judicata; Order 17 Rule 4 Civil Procedure Rules; dismissal for want of prosecution can be substantive and give rise to a decree; abuse of court process by refiling same cause of action; Letters of Administration disputes in administration proceedings.
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14 October 2025 |
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Court extended expired letters of administration and allowed late filing of inventory; failed to remove co-administrator.
Succession law – Extension/renewal of letters of administration under S.337(2) & (4) Succession Act; Inventory/accounting obligations under S.273(1); Interpretation Act S.34(3) permits post-expiry applications; ‘‘sufficient cause’’ test for extension; evidentiary standard for removal of co-administrator.
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10 October 2025 |
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Inter‑country adoption granted after court found petitioners met statutory requirements and adoption served the child's best interests.
* Family law – Inter-country adoption – High Court jurisdiction where petitioner or child is non‑Ugandan (Section 86(1)(b)).
* Adoption requirements – Age, age difference, minimum one year fostering under PSWO supervision, residence, absence of criminal record, financial capacity, and recommendation from home country authority (Sections 87–88).
* Parental consent – Dispensed with where biological parents are unknown despite reasonable tracing efforts.
* Child welfare – Best interests principle as paramount consideration in adoption decisions; role of National Alternative Care Panel and Probation and Social Welfare reports.
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10 October 2025 |
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Court extended expired letters of administration for two years due to incomplete estate distribution and beneficiaries' consent.
Succession Act s.337(2),(4) – extension of letters of administration; Interpretation Act s.34(3) – entertain out-of-time applications; estate administration – sufficiency of cause; beneficiaries' consent as corroborative evidence.
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10 October 2025 |
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Court extended probate and allowed out‑of‑time filing of estate inventory due to counsel’s error and beneficiaries’ consent.
Succession law – Filing of inventory and accounts – Extension of time under Succession Act and Civil Procedure Act – "Sufficient cause" for delay – Effect of previous counsel’s error – Extension of expired grant for limited purpose.
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10 October 2025 |
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Mother appointed guardian and authorised to sell/mortgage minors' co-owned land in their best interests.
Children Act – Guardianship – Appointment of legal guardian to transact on minors’ behalf; welfare principle; co-registered land – court authorisation required to sell or mortgage minors’ interests; parental status and best interests guiding factor.
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7 October 2025 |
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Court finds disputed land part of an heir's estate, not ancestral land, and administrators did not obtain grants by fraud.
Succession and land law – disputed parcel held as part of an heir's estate, not ancestral land – whether Letters of Administration were fraudulently obtained – Administrator General’s role and Certificate of No Objection – title transfers intended to preserve family estate – remedies: revocation, declaration, eviction, damages, costs.
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6 October 2025 |
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A typographical error as to where an affidavit was sworn may be rectified; application to proceed on merits rather than be struck out.
* Civil procedure – preliminary objection – affidavit irregularity – place of swearing – rectification of clerical error; * Evidence – competency of affidavit sworn before foreign notary – jurisdictional limits; * Review – application to review decision striking affidavit out and treating appeal as unchallenged – competence to proceed on merits after cure of defect.
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3 October 2025 |
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Unexplained, inordinate delay and a belated review application defeated leave to appeal out of time; application dismissed with costs.
Civil procedure – Extension of time to appeal – Criteria for granting extension (sufficient reason, length and cause of delay, prospects of success, prejudice) – Review versus appeal – filing a review after appeal period cannot justify delayed appeal – conduct indicating satisfaction with judgment (consent to execution, taxation, payments) undermines claim for extension.
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3 October 2025 |
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Court appointed Administrator General as administrator pendente lite and authorised sale to meet undisputed mortgage and beneficiaries’ needs.
Succession — Letters of administration pendente lite — Appointment to protect estate from waste and creditor enforcement; Administrator must be impartial — Administrator General appointed where applicants are parties to related suits — Interim sale of mortgaged property authorised to pay undisputed loan and upkeep of beneficiaries — Minor struck off proceedings but application not incurably defective.
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3 October 2025 |
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Where a defendant participated but defaulted at hearing, the remedy is appeal; Order 9 r27 does not apply.
Civil procedure – Order 17 Rule 4 CPR – proceedings where a party initially participates but defaults – remedy is appeal; Order 9 Rule 27 applies to true ex parte decrees only.
Civil procedure – setting aside judgment – sufficient cause and requirement for prompt communication of incapacity by counsel.
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3 October 2025 |
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Court extended letters of administration and allowed late filing of inventory due to beneficiaries' absence and consent.
* Succession Act (s.337(2),(4)) – Extension of letters of administration issued before 31 May 2022 – court discretion to extend duration on application.
* Succession Act (s.273(1)) – Duty to file inventory/account – extension of time for filing where sufficient cause shown.
* Civil procedure – wrong citation of statute does not invalidate proceedings where jurisdiction exists.
* Test for sufficient cause – delay beyond administrator’s control, absence of negligence or bad faith; beneficiaries’ consent relevant.
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2 October 2025 |
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Court allowed extension of probate and time to file inventory where delay was excusable and beneficiaries consented.
Succession Act – extension of probate/letters of administration – failure to file inventory and account – excusable delay due to co-administrator's death – beneficiaries' consent – court’s discretion to extend and renew grant.
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2 October 2025 |
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Court granted extension of letters of administration and leave to file inventory where sole beneficiary consented and delay was excusable.
* Succession Act – extension of Letters of Administration – conditions under s.256(3): best interests of beneficiaries, compliance, beneficiary consent.
* Succession procedure – filing of inventory and accounts – s.273(1) requirements and excuses for non-compliance.
* Administration of estate – third-party encumbrances and mediation as grounds for delay.
* Discretionary relief – court may allow filing out of time and renew grant where applicant shows sufficient cause.
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2 October 2025 |
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Court extended letters of administration two years and allowed late filing of inventory due to estate recovery difficulties.
Succession Act – extension/renewal of letters of administration; enlargement of time to file inventory and final account; sufficient cause and discretion of court; beneficiaries’ consent; inherent jurisdiction to prevent injustice.
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2 October 2025 |
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Application to extend time to file estate inventory dismissed for failure to show sufficient cause and lack of beneficiary proof.
Succession law – Inventory filing – Section 273(1) Succession Act – extension of time – sufficient cause – administrators’ duty to explain delay; beneficiaries’ consent; exercise of judicial discretion.
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2 October 2025 |
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Extension of letters of administration refused because applicants failed to obtain beneficiaries' consent despite outstanding estate matters.
Succession Act – extension of letters of administration – expiry of grant – Section 337(2),(4); Inherent jurisdiction of court to grant extensions (Civil Procedure Act, Judicature Act); administration of estate – unresolved title deed matters; beneficiary/family consent as factor in granting extensions.
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2 October 2025 |
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Extension of letters of administration refused; inventory delay excused but cannot be filed due to expired non-operative grant.
Succession Act s.337(2),(4) – extension versus renewal of grants; Succession Act s.273(1) – duty to file inventory and accounts; sufficient cause for extension of time; effect of expired/non-operative grant; beneficiary consent; estate administration impeded by land dispute and related litigation.
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2 October 2025 |
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Court granted an eight-month extension of expired letters of administration due to property complexities and beneficiary consent.
Succession Act s.337(2)&(4) – Extension of expired letters of administration – Grants issued before 31 May 2022 – Estate administration complexities (special titles, land board processes, surveyor delays) – Beneficiary consent – Court discretion to grant limited extension and impose timetable for final accounts.
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2 October 2025 |
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Probate obtained on a forged will is void; the disputed Bwaise land remained part of the deceased's estate and probate is revoked.
Succession law – validity of wills – forgery of signature; requirements for attestation under Succession Act; protection of illiterate witnesses (Illiterates Protection Act); probate and effect of pending caveat; gift inter vivos of registered land requires registered transfer; revocation of probate obtained by fraud.
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2 October 2025 |
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Whether Letters of Administration should be extended where the administrator delayed inventory filing and lacks all beneficiaries' consents.
Succession Act — Extension of Letters of Administration — requirements: best interests of beneficiaries, compliance with statutory duties, and consent of all beneficiaries; duty to file inventory and account; court’s discretion to grant partial relief.
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1 October 2025 |
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Court allowed extension of letters of administration and leave to file final account due to land-survey delays and sole beneficiaries.
Succession Act – extension of Letters of Administration – requirements under Section 256(3) – filing of inventory and final account – delays caused by land surveys and title processing – beneficiary consent and best interest test.
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1 October 2025 |
| September 2025 |
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Court granted the applicant leave to file inventory and account out of time in the interests of justice.
Succession law – extension of time to file inventory and account under s.273(1) Succession Act and Order 52 CPR – Administrator General – administrative delays, beneficiary inaction and reassignment of officers – interest of justice – compliance with court timelines.
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30 September 2025 |
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Court allowed extension of letters of administration and leave to file inventory where beneficiaries consented and outstanding estate issues remained.
* Succession Act – extension of grant of probate/letters of administration – Sections 256 and 337 – conditions for extension (best interest of beneficiaries, compliance, beneficiary consent).
* Civil procedure – leave to file inventory and account out of time – evidentiary scrutiny of filings on court file.
* Estate administration – unresolved property issues (encroachment; mutation of burial ground) as sufficient cause for extension.
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30 September 2025 |
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Court granted two-year extension of Letters of Administration and set deadlines after beneficiaries consented.
* Probate/administration – Extension of Letters of Administration – Court may extend grant where beneficiaries consent.
* Probate/administration – Extension of time – Filing of inventory and final account – Court-imposed timelines to facilitate estate administration.
* Civil procedure – Parties’ consent – Beneficiaries’ agreement as a material factor in granting extensions.
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30 September 2025 |
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Marriage dissolved for cruelty; mother awarded primary custody; respondent ordered to pay increased child maintenance and school costs.
Family law – Divorce – Grounds for dissolution: cruelty established by physical injury to a child and financial exploitation; adultery not sufficiently proven. Child welfare – Custody: primary custody to mother of young children; reasonable visitation to father. Maintenance – Respondent ordered to increase monthly maintenance and pay school fees and medical expenses. Alimony – large lump sum claim denied where petitioner has earning capacity.
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26 September 2025 |
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Court revoked probate obtained by fraud, found Administrator negligent and Registrar’s caveat removal unlawful.
Succession law – fraud in procurement of Letters of Administration – revocation under section 230; Administrator General – duty to verify Succession Register and fiduciary duty when issuing Certificates of No Objection; Land law – removal of caveats requires mandatory notice under section 124(1) Registration of Titles Act; Remedies – revocation, injunction, damages and costs.
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26 September 2025 |
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Court allowed late filing of estate inventory for sufficient cause, imposed detailed content and 30‑day deadline.
Succession Act s.273(1) – requirement to file inventory and account; extension of time – sufficient cause, dilatory conduct, and injustice; Executors’ duty to exhibit known estate assets despite pending suits; content and timeframe for late inventory and accountability.
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26 September 2025 |
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Court granted executors leave to file an out-of-time inventory and account, specifying required contents and a 30-day deadline.
Succession law – Section 273(1) Succession Act – extension of time to file inventory and accounts – sufficient cause – dilatory conduct – injustice to beneficiaries – required content of out-of-time inventory and accountability.
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26 September 2025 |
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Court extended letters of administration two years after finding sufficient cause and consent of adult beneficiaries.
Succession Act, s.256(2)-(4), s.273(1) – Extension of Letters of Administration – Requirements: best interests of beneficiaries, compliance with Act, consent of beneficiaries – Pending civil litigation affecting estate property – Filing of inventory and account as precondition to renewal.
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26 September 2025 |
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Application to set aside ex parte proceedings dismissed for effective service, lack of sufficient cause and no plausible defence.
* Civil procedure – Setting aside ex parte proceedings – requirement to show sufficient cause; effective personal or substituted service; need for plausible defence likely to succeed.
* Civil procedure – Service of process – affidavit of service, recorded telephone instruction and substituted service as proof of effective service.
* Civil procedure – Procedure – correct invocation of Order 9 rules (rule 12 for defendants who did not file a defence; rule 27 for those who filed but failed to attend).
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26 September 2025 |