The Uganda Law Society (ULS) has expressed support for the Judiciary’s planned transition to a fully paperless court system but warned that the reform could undermine access to justice, fair hearing rights and transparency if critical safeguards are not put in place.
In a preliminary response issued on Wednesday, the lawyers’ body welcomed Administrative Circular No. 1 of 2026 issued by Chief Justice Flavian Zeija, which directs courts to operate through the Electronic Court Case Management Information System (ECCMIS) beginning July 1, 2026.
ULS said the move aligns with its vision of modernising legal practice through digital transformation. However, it cautioned that the current framework leaves several critical concerns unresolved.
The statement follows the release of a report by the PM Digital Law Hub assessing the country’s readiness for the paperless transition. ULS said it had deliberately withheld public comment on the directive until advocates, judicial officers, court staff and litigants had been consulted through the survey process.
Among the society’s major concerns is the absence of explicit guarantees that the paperless system will remain subject to constitutional protections, particularly the right to a fair, speedy and public hearing.
The lawyers also argued that the circular does not adequately protect open justice principles, media access to court proceedings and public access to court records.
ULS further warned that a purely electronic system could disadvantage vulnerable groups, including rural communities, the elderly, low-income litigants and people with limited digital literacy or internet access.
According to the society, the Judiciary’s current approach risks deepening existing inequalities by prioritising implementation in urban and well-resourced courts while leaving underserved regions behind.
The lawyers’ body also criticised the circular for failing to provide contingency measures for common challenges such as power outages, internet disruptions, system failures and cyber threats.
Without backup mechanisms, ULS argued, court users could face delays and disruptions that would undermine the efficiency gains the reforms seek to achieve.
The society additionally raised concerns over what it described as persistent judicial misconduct and discretionary practices that technology alone cannot solve. It cited instances where court users have allegedly been subjected to unnecessary procedural requirements and delays despite the availability of digital systems.
Other issues highlighted include the lack of interoperability between ECCMIS and national databases maintained by institutions such as the police, prisons, land registries and the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA).
ULS also pointed to the absence of transparent automated case-allocation mechanisms and emergency procedures for urgent court applications.
The society further faulted the Judiciary for rolling out the reforms without prior consultation with the legal profession and other key stakeholders.
To address the concerns, ULS recommended that the Judiciary revise the circular or issue supplementary guidelines. Among the proposals are explicit constitutional safeguards, hybrid hearing options for complex matters, public access portals for non-sensitive court documents, contingency plans for technology failures, stronger cybersecurity standards and enhanced digital inclusion measures such as public-access kiosks and legal aid support.
The society also called for the establishment of a joint Judiciary-ULS working group to oversee the transition and monitor implementation, saying the success of the paperless system will depend not only on technology but also on transparency, accountability and public trust.
“The ULS stands ready to collaborate with the Judiciary to refine and implement these enhancements,” the statement said, adding that the transition should uphold constitutional values while ensuring that no Ugandan is excluded from accessing justice in the digital era.