Administration of the Judiciary Act

(a)to operationalise Chapter Eight of the Constitution relating to the Judiciary;

(b)to facilitate the improvement of the efficiency and effectiveness of the courts of judicature;

(c)to establish the Judiciary Council to advise the Chief Justice on the administration of the Judiciary and justice;

(d)to strengthen the independence of courts in accordance with the Constitution;

(e)to streamline the administration of courts;

(f)to facilitate a judicial process that is committed to the expeditious determination of disputes;

(g)to establish a Judicial Training Institute; and

(h)to provide for retirement benefits of judicial officers.

“Commission” means the Judicial Service Commission established by Article 146 of the Constitution;

“Council” means the Judiciary Council established by section 4;

“currency point” has the value assigned to it in Schedule 1 to this Act;

“Institute” means the Judicial Training Institute;

“judicial officer” means the Chief Justice, the Deputy Chief Justice, the Principal Judge, a Justice of the Supreme Court, a Justice of the Court of Appeal, a Judge of the High Court, the Chief Registrar, a Registrar of a Court, a Magistrate or such other person holding any office connected with court as may be prescribed by law;

“Judiciary Service” means the Judiciary Service established by section 13;

“lower bench” means a magistrates court or other court lower than the High Court;

“Minister” means the Minister responsible for justice;

“staff of the Judiciary” means all judicial officers, administrative and other staff appointed by the Judicial Service Commission to perform judicial, administrative and other functions of the Judiciary;

“superior courts” means the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal and the High Court.

(a)assign administrative duties of a higher status to a judicial officer for a specified period of time;

(b)establish performance and evaluation systems for the Judiciary; and

(c)take any other action appropriate to the exercise of the powers conferred on the Chief Justice by Article 133 of the Constitution.

(a)the Chief Justice;

(b)the Deputy Chief Justice;

(c)the Principal Judge;

(d)the Attorney General;

(e)the Director of Public Prosecutions;

(f)one Justice representing the superior courts;

(g)one judicial officer representing the lower bench;

(h)the Solicitor General;

(i)the Chief Registrar;

(j)the Secretary to the Judiciary;

(k)the Secretary to the Treasury;

(l)a representative of the justice law and order sector institutions, other than the Ministry responsible for justice;

(m)the President of the Uganda Law Society;

(n)the Chairperson of the Law Council;

(o)two members of the public nominated by the Judicial Service Commission, male and female, of high moral character, proven integrity and competence, one of whom is a person with disabilities and none of whom is a lawyer or an advocate; and

(p)the Chief Inspector of Courts.

(a)policies for planning and development of the Judiciary;

(b)ethics and integrity within the Judiciary;

(c)ways and means of securing adequate financing for the Judiciary;

(d)matters relating to personnel or staff development and welfare;

(e)improvement of the administration of justice;

(f)policies for the continuous monitoring and evaluation of the Judiciary; and

(g)any other matter relating to the administration or operation of the Judiciary.