Court-annexed mediation in Uganda
In brief
Many civil suits in Uganda are referred to court-annexed mediation before they proceed to trial, under the Judicature (Mediation) Rules. Mediation is a confidential, without-prejudice, interest-based process; if it settles, the agreement is recorded and can be made an order of court, and if not, the suit returns to the trial track.
1. Governing law
Court-annexed mediation is part of the case-management framework, intended to resolve disputes faster and cheaper than trial. Under the Judicature (Mediation) Rules a suit is referred to a mediator for a defined period; sessions are confidential and without-prejudice, so what is said cannot later be used at trial. A settlement can be entered as a consent judgment; failure to settle is reported and the case continues.
2. Key statutes & rules
- Judicature (Mediation) Rules — reference of civil suits to court-annexed mediation; timelines; confidentiality.
3. Practical guidance
Prepare for mediation substantively — know your case, interests and realistic outcomes.
Bring someone with authority to settle.
Use the confidential, without-prejudice space to explore settlement candidly.
If settled, record the terms precisely for a consent judgment.
This note is a practitioner orientation, not legal advice, and does not create an advocate–client relationship. Ugandan law changes and chapter and section numbers were revised in the 2023 Laws of Uganda. Verify every statute, rule and authority against the current primary source — and the specific facts of your matter — before filing or relying on it.