After numerous complaints about quack and brief case lawyers, the courts of law are moving to tighten rules and requirements against lawyers to ensure that only licensed lawyers can lodge complaints or file cases.
At the land division notice board, a warning pinned up indicates that Justice Keitirima John Eudes: the head of the Land Division will now require certificates from approved law chambers from every lawyer filing a case.
The notice signed by the Deputy Court Registrar Samuel Emokor reads; “On instruction from the head of division, this is to notify you that effective 21 may, 2018 all new cases filed in the registry together with the replies there too must be accompanied by a copy of the certificate of approval of chambers of the law firm drawing the pleadings.”
“Furthermore all counsel appearing before any court must be in possession of a copy of his/her practicing certificate.”
Lawyers without the listed requirements may risk hash repercussion “Non compliance with the above requirements will lead to rejection of the pleadings at fling or denial of audience at hearing as the case maybe.”
The head communications at the judiciary Solomon Muyita notes that this is an intentional move to curb quarks.
He says “That’s part of the division housekeeping exercise because there have been incidents of unlicensed/quack lawyers appearing I different courts, which is unacceptable.
It’s a move to strictly the authorized/ licensed advocates to engage in court processes.”
Muyita notes that there are various initiatives at different courts. He says “that’s a general concern for the judiciary, but the current communication is an initiative by the land division. Different courts have devised different way of detecting the undeserving practitioners and weeding them out of the court processes”
Police in Kabale District April arrested a a 42 year old Fred Byaruhanga after he appointed himself advocate in a case of Leading Waragi Ltd Vs Cox Nyakairu and Kabale District Local Government, civil suit number 88/2010.
Byaruhanga had started submitting in the case, but his uneasiness prompted questioning from the bench, the judge found him wanting and asked for his practicing certificate which he (Byaruhanga could not produce). On arrest Byaruhanga confessed he has never been an advocate.
