[2009] UGHC 26

[2009] UGHC 26

The court acknowledges that the applicants do not meet the statutory requirements for intercountry adoption under Section 46 of the Children Act, specifically the three-year residency and thirty-six months of fostering. However, the Court of Appeal has held that the High Court possesses jurisdiction to grant legal...

Source-derived case information.

Citation
[2009] UGHC 26
Parties
Applicant: Daniel Tarrant; Applicant: Elizabeth Joanne Tarrant; Respondent: Nyangoma Veneranda; Respondent: Kato John Mary Venny
Court
High Court of Uganda
Jurisdiction
Uganda
Case Number
HCT-00-FD-FC-0193-2008
Procedural Posture
Miscellaneous Application / Ruling on Application for Legal Guardianship
Outcome
application granted
Legal Topics
Legal Guardianship, Intercountry Adoption, Child Welfare, Best Interests of Child
Source Language
en
Family and Children Legal Guardianship Intercountry Adoption Child Welfare Best Interests of Child

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Parties

Daniel Tarrant

Applicant

Elizabeth Joanne Tarrant

Applicant

Nyangoma Veneranda

Respondent

Kato John Mary Venny

Respondent

Procedural Posture

Miscellaneous Application / Ruling on Application for Legal Guardianship

  1. 1 Whether the applicants, as non-Ugandan citizens, can be granted legal guardianship of Ugandan infants where they do not qualify for intercountry adoption under Section 46 of the Children Act.
  2. 2 Whether the grant of legal guardianship is in the best interests of the infants given their abandonment and lack of local placement offers.

Ratio Decidendi

The court acknowledges that the applicants do not meet the statutory requirements for intercountry adoption under Section 46 of the Children Act, specifically the three-year residency and thirty-six months of fostering. However, the Court of Appeal has held that the High Court possesses jurisdiction to grant legal guardianship orders. Although the appellate decision is divided on whether legal guardianship should be available to foreign applicants who do not qualify for adoption, the court is bound by the authority that such jurisdiction exists. Given the absence of any local offers of a home for the twins, the inadequacy of institutional care for young children, and the applicants'...

Court Disposition

application granted

Orders

  • The applicants, Daniel Tarrant and Elizabeth Joanne Tarrant, are appointed guardians of Nyangoma Veneranda and Kato John Mary Venny.