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DISCLAIMER
This blog does not contain legal advice. The legal information is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Accordingly, before taking any actions based on such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. Authors are liable for any plagiarism and Lawpoint Uganda won`t have liability towards the same.


High Court affirms that a widow cannot lawfully distribute or transact land belonging to her deceased husband’s estate without first obtaining letters of administration under Section 187 of the S.A
The Court reaffirmed that a widow cannot legally dispose of property belonging to an intestate deceased spouse without obtaining letters of administration, citing Section 187 of the Succession Act, Cap 268. This principle was emphasized in Lwanyikirira v Administrator General, Misc. Appl. No. 2298 of 2024 where failure to take out letters of administration barred claims over unregistered land.

Waboga David
Jul 34 min read


High Court affirms that where shareholders pass away, courts may lawfully empower surviving members to convene meetings and carry out corporate actions to preserve the business.
The High Court affirmed that Once shareholders of a company pass away, it is reasonable for the court to allow the surviving member and/or officer to conduct the affairs of the company as they deem fit to further the company’s objectives

Waboga David
Jul 23 min read


CHORDS, COPYRIGHT AND CREATIVITY - THE ED SHEERAN V MARVIN GAYE CASE
The lawsuit between Ed Sheeran and the estate of Marvin Gaye over the alleged copying of “Let’s Get It On” in Sheeran’s 2014 hit “Thinking Out Loud” crystallises this tension. This dispute, spanning several years and multiple courts, has become emblematic of the challenges in defining originality in music and the limits of copyright protection
Edgar Okitoi
Jun 307 min read


ADVICE FOR THE CLASS OF 2025
Forget the myth of a straight path. Life is a winding road, full of detours, surprises, and pivots. You might start in one field and find your passion in another. You might fail spectacularly at something, only to discover a hidden talent or a new direction. Be flexible. See every twist and turn as a chance to learn, grow, and reinvent yourself. The ability to adapt is your greatest superpower of humankind.
Edgar Okitoi
Jun 304 min read


High Court Declares Mortgage Void: Loan Granted to Deceased Borrower Invalidates Sale and Caveat on Company Land
Lending institutions must ensure that a company resolution is in place before accepting company property as loan security. In its absence, such transactions risk being invalidated for lack of proper authorization under company law. Moreover, The court reaffirmed the duty of banks and financial institutions to conduct thorough due diligence, especially when accepting corporate property as collateral. Failure to verify corporate approvals or the identity of borrowers may lead t

Waboga David
Jun 299 min read


Court of Appeal reaffirms that failure by a trial judge to record summing up notes to assessors, while procedurally improper, does not vitiate a conviction where the assessors were duly sworn...
The Court of Appeal reiterated that procedural irregularities, such as failure to record summing up notes, do not automatically nullify a trial unless they result in a miscarriage of justice. The Court emphasized a purposive approach under Article 126(2)(e) of the Constitution, which enjoins courts to administer justice without undue regard to technicalities.

Waboga David
Jun 2810 min read


High Court reaffirms that money lending contracts must comply with the Tier 4 Act; courts will not enforce illegal lending arrangements, even where funds have been advanced.
The High Court found that the loan agreement for UGX 2,550,000/= (dated 17th September 2019) lacked the signatures of both the lender and a third-party witness, contravening Section 84(1) of the Tier 4 Microfinance Institutions and Money Lenders Act.

Waboga David
Jun 273 min read


ALTERNATIVE OR ‘‘APPROPRIATE’’ DISPUTE RESOLUTION.
ADR in Uganda is a well-established mechanism, deeply integrated into the legal system through constitutional, statutory and institutional support. It has proven its effectiveness in reducing the caseload in the county. While challenges like limited awareness and funding persist, the judiciary has a role to play in enhancing the application of ADR in Uganda.

Lawpointuganda
Jun 2710 min read


High Court Draws the Line on Predatory Lending, Inviting Exemplary Damages: Title Transfer, Notice to Guarantors, and the Rule of Law in the Security Interest in Movable Property Act, Cap 293
The court found that the sale was not fraudulent nor conducted without valuation, but the transfer was illegal, and the sale was conducted in breach of the guarantee contract due to failure to notify the Plaintiff.

Waboga David
Jun 2612 min read


MONKEY CREATIVITY!?: AUTHORSHIP AND COPYRIGHT IN THE AGE OF NON-HUMAN CREATORS
The emergence of artificial intelligence has further complicated the debate over authorship and copyright. AI systems are now capable of generating original works of art, music, literature, and code, thus raising the question of whether AI can be considered an author, and if so, how should copyright law apply? The U.S. Copyright Office has however taken a firm stance against recognizing AI as an author, stating that copyright protection extends only to works created by human
Edgar Okitoi
Jun 258 min read


High Court reaffirms that a plaintiff’s failure to take out Summons for Directions within 28 days after the last reply, without justification, results in automatic abatement of the suit under Order 11
As a rule, if the Plaintiff does not take out Summons for Directions, the suit shall abate and can be dismissed. In the present case, the Respondent failed to take out Summons for Directions within the prescribed 28 days from the date of the last reply, contrary to Order 11A Rule 1(2) and (6) of the Civil Procedure Rules

Waboga David
Jun 244 min read


High Court Clarifies That Joint Administrators Must Act Jointly in Representing Estates
Relying on the Supreme Court decision in Silver Byaruhanga v. Fr. Emmanuel Ruvugwaho & Anor, SCCA No. 09 of 2014, the Court reaffirmed that joint administration requires joint action unless the administrators were appointed at different times.

Waboga David
Jun 226 min read


Is Artistic Freedom Safe in the NFT Age? Lessons from Hermès Int'l v. Rothschild
The Hermès v. Rothschild case therefore represents trademark law's attempt to re-establish control over the "real" and its signs in a hyperreal economy, asserting that even in the digital ether, the fundamental principles of preventing confusion and dilution must apply to maintain the integrity of established brands against unauthorized "simulacra."
Edgar Okitoi
Jun 2119 min read


The Court of Appeal of Uganda reaffirms guiding principles on voire dire, voice identification, dying declarations, and sentencing in criminal cases.
The Court affirmed the importance of vòire dire under section 41(3) of the Trial on Indictments Act (Cap 25), which mandates an inquiry into the intelligence and truth-telling capacity of a child of tender years. Referencing Opolot Ben Bosco v Uganda [2023] UGCA 40 – A vòire dire must demonstrate the child’s ability to distinguish right from wrong and retain independent memory of the events and has the reliability to prove that at the material time, she had conceived an acc

Waboga David
Jun 216 min read


High court affirms that in a summary suit, mere partial payment of the demand without a substantive defence does not entitle a defendant to leave to appear and defend.
High court dismisses application for leave to appear and defend a summary suit over UGX 82M Debt . Subject Matter Summary procedure –...

Waboga David
Jun 203 min read


PIERCING THE CORPORATE VEIL: THE LANDMARK EMERALD HOTEL JUDGMENT AND ITS TRANSFORMATIVE IMPACT ON UGANDAN BANKING LAW
From a regulatory perspective, the case spotlights the interaction between insolvency law and banking regulation. The Court’s reliance on the Financial Institutions (Credit Classification and Provisioning) Regulations, 2005 (reg.10) to explain interest on this non-performing loan suggests that credit regulators should ensure banks apply these rules consistently.

Obita Calvin Stewart
Jun 186 min read


Upholding The Rule Of Law in Employment: Lessons from the Fridaus Nambi v. Knight Frank Uganda Ltd - Labour Dispute No.074 of 2024
The rule of law is the bedrock of any functional society and is especially critical in the realm of employment relations. It ensures that both employers and employees operate within a framework of fairness, transparency, and accountability. In Uganda, as in many jurisdictions, the Employment Act and principles of natural justice serve as guiding lights for resolving workplace disputes.

Lawpointuganda
Jun 187 min read


High Court establishes that, in the absence of fraud, a donor cannot reclaim registered land merely because its use has changed unless express conditions were attached to the donation and breached.
The Court held that in cases of charitable donations, a donor cannot reclaim land simply because its use has changed, unless the donation was made subject to expressly attached legal conditions, which were later breached. Absent such conditions, the court found that trustees retain discretion to manage and even lease trust property, provided that the core objectives of the trust—such as religious or educational use—are not abandoned. Leasing parts of the land, therefore, does

Sylivia Nandawula
Jun 155 min read


The CoA establishes that procedural defects or administrative lapses by government entities do not amount to fraud in the absence of clear, direct evidence that the registered proprietor was complicit
A certificate of title is conclusive under the RTA unless fraud is proven. Lease offers issued over titled land are invalid if the land is not available or is disputed.

Waboga David
Jun 145 min read


The Court of Appeal affirms that while illegality can override pleadings, it must still be pleaded or supported by evidence if it involves mixed questions of law and fact
The appellate court emphasized that the validity of the mortgage was a mixed issue of law and fact, requiring evidence which had not been adduced.

Waboga David
Jun 134 min read


Court reiterates that schools, as 'In Loco Parentis', must not supplant parental authority, and that economic, social, or other differences between parents do not diminish their constitutional rights
The Court warned against third parties – including schools and even courts – confusing parental disputes (such as divorce) with the legal rights of children. It emphasized that economic hardship or parental separation does not justify undermining a parent’s constitutional rights to raise and care for their child.

Waboga David
Jun 125 min read


High Court rules that arbitration clauses in a contract are enforceable and binding, and attempts at amicable resolution, once exhausted, activate the mandatory arbitration route under agreements.
The court observed that where a contract contains a valid and enforceable arbitration clause, courts are obliged to refer disputes to arbitration unless the clause is null, void, inoperative, or incapable of being performed.

Waboga David
Jun 102 min read


High Court reaffirms that a consent judgment becomes binding once signed by the parties and endorsed by the court
A consent judgment becomes binding once signed by the parties and endorsed by the court. It may only be set aside on limited grounds such as fraud, collusion, or ignorance of material facts

Waboga David
Jun 93 min read


Revisiting the Doctrine of Guarantorship in a Contract: A Comparative Look at Mian Aqueel & Anor v Exim Bank (U) Ltd and Ecobank Uganda Ltd v King James Comprehensive School Ltd & Others
A guarantee establishes a tripartite legal relationship involving the creditor, the principal debtor, and the guarantor. Under this arrangement, the guarantor undertakes a secondary obligation to satisfy the debt or obligation if the principal debtor defaults. This secondary liability only becomes enforceable upon the failure of the principal debtor to fulfil their primary obligation.

Lawpointuganda
Jun 810 min read
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