Registry / Court users guide

Who is this Users Guide for and how can it help?

This Users Guide is provided free of charge by the East African Court of Justice (“EACJ” or “the Court”) – to be used by all East Africans and others having an interest in the Court. The Guide seeks to help them gain insight into the Court’s functions and operations; and on how to access the Court.

It is aimed at encouraging people to know about the EACJ, to make use of it in their civil cases or disputes and to obtain justice. This Guide aims to clarify who does what; how proceedings are handled in the Court; and how users of the Court can get the most out of the services provided by the Court.

Among the Court’s users are the persons directly involved in the cases brought before the Court, namely: the Parties and their lawyers, the witnesses (including expert witnesses); as well as others, such as the “the friends of the Court” (amicus curiae), researchers, scholars, students of law and integration, administrators and Policy makers both at the East African Community level and at the Partner States level, and many others of that kind.

However, this Guide does not cover all the details concerning the Court and what you should do. Many of the laws and procedures that control the Court’s operations have been simplified and summarized in this Guide for easy and ready understanding. It should, therefore, be used only as a guide to the substantive provisions governing the operations of the Court (i.e. the primary law of the Court). If you are in any doubt about your rights, you should check with the registry of the Court; or refer to the primary law, or your lawyer