[2020] UGCA 2080

[2020] UGCA 2080

The Court of Appeal lacks jurisdiction to entertain appeals from decisions of the High Court made pursuant to appeals from the Tax Appeals Tribunal under the Tax Appeals Tribunal Act, as no statutory provision confers such a right. The right of appeal must be expressly enacted by Parliament, and neither the Tax...

Source-derived case information.

Citation
[2020] UGCA 2080
Parties
Appellant: Heritage Oil & Gas Limited; Respondent: Uganda Revenue Authority
Court
Court of Appeal of Uganda
Jurisdiction
Uganda
Case Number
Civil Appeal No. 264 of 2018
Procedural Posture
Civil Appeal / Judgment
Outcome
appeal_struck_out
Judges
Cheborion, JA, Madrama, JA, Musota, JA
Legal Topics
Right of Appeal, Tax Appeals Tribunal Jurisdiction, Scheduling Conference Orders, Striking Out Skeleton Arguments
Source Language
en
Tax Law Civil Procedure Right of Appeal Tax Appeals Tribunal Jurisdiction Scheduling Conference Orders Striking Out Skeleton Arguments

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Parties

Heritage Oil & Gas Limited

Appellant

Uganda Revenue Authority

Respondent

Procedural Posture

Civil Appeal / Judgment

  1. 1 Does the Court of Appeal have jurisdiction to hear an appeal from a decision of the High Court made pursuant to an appeal from the Tax Appeals Tribunal under the Tax Appeals Tribunal Act?
  2. 2 Is there a statutory right of appeal to the Court of Appeal in tax matters arising from the Tax Appeals Tribunal Act and Income Tax Act?
  3. 3 Was the High Court Judge's direction at the scheduling conference an appealable order under the Civil Procedure Act or Rules?

Ratio Decidendi

The Court of Appeal lacks jurisdiction to entertain appeals from decisions of the High Court made pursuant to appeals from the Tax Appeals Tribunal under the Tax Appeals Tribunal Act, as no statutory provision confers such a right. The right of appeal must be expressly enacted by Parliament, and neither the Tax Appeals Tribunal Act nor the Income Tax Act provides for a further appeal to the Court of Appeal in these circumstances. The scheduling conference direction by the High Court Judge was not an appealable order under the Civil Procedure Act or Rules, and there is no legal basis for striking out skeleton arguments. The appeal is therefore incompetent and must be struck out with costs.

Court Disposition

appeal_struck_out

Orders

  • The appeal is struck out for being incompetent.
  • The appellant shall pay costs to the respondent.