The training held by Leadership Code Tribunal (LCT) on June 14 and 15 aimed at furthering development of the skills and expertising its members in case adjudication with particular focus on judgment writing. This will maximise their potential in adjudication of breaches of the Leadership Code of Conduct.
The training that capitalised on areas including definitions, structure and contents, fact finding, identification of issues, application of the Lawton the facts, style, language and impact was facilitated by Hon Justice Lawrence Gidudu the head of anti-corruption court.
According to Dr. Roselyn Karugonjo, Chairperson Leadership Code Tribunal, the purpose of the training was to equip members with skills and knowledge on writing judgements adding that the tribunal's co-mandate is adjudication which she said requires trainings of such kinds.
"The training was to enable us to reflect, review, reboot and own our skills for better services. We write a lot of judgements and therefore the training empowered us with a very important skill of writing," Karugonjo said.
She noted that the writing of judgements as a skill is not taught in schools saying the tribunal members are fortunate to have undergone through the noble training. Karugonjo added that: "all institutions involved in adjudication such as tribunals, commissions, equal opportunities and courts of law need the training. It is a noble skill nobody teaches you, but you only learn on job or if you get lucky, and you have a training like we have."
During the training, Justice Gidudu urged law practitioners to mind the language, style and the impact of of their statements saying that judgements should be understandable by even those who have lost. He noted that rulings/judgements outlive their authers and so ought to be treated with keen attention.
"Judgements have a purpose to communicate to the parties and other stakeholders the decision of the court on the dispute. English is the language of the tribunal and its proper use creates good impact," Justice Gidudu said.
He observed that several judges tend to use difficult-to-understand terms which he said leave out the subjects.
The Justice, while quoting Lord Denning whom he said is a strong advocate of plain English said that the practitioners need to be concise and also gender sensitive.
"Even in England the excessive use of Latin, has been a subject of criticism from as early as 1934. Minimise the use of Latin phrases," Justice Gidudu said adding that: "You are not English judges who attended classical education where the use of Latin flows naturally. The parties and their counsel may not be impressed yet they are the primary target group."
Karugonjo lauded justice Gidudu for having spared time to mentor the judges. She said the skill they have acquired would help them in their day-to-day operations.
The LDC headquarters are located on Makerere Hill along Gadafi Road, just outside the southern perimeter of the main campus of Makerere University.
Story by :By Ivan Tsebeni.
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