Courts' caseload down 5%
Cases pending before the law courts decreased by 5% in the six months between September 1 and March 31, the Minister of Justice said today. He said cases were also being heard and decided in a shorter time. Addressing 21 new lawyers and two legal...
Cases pending before the law courts decreased by 5% in the six months between September 1 and March 31, the Minister of Justice said today. He said cases were also being heard and decided in a shorter time.
Addressing 21 new lawyers and two legal procurators before presenting them with their warrant, minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici said the improved performance was the result of greater efficiency by the judges, as well as reforms introduced by the government in the past few years.
He said the reduction in the caseload was as follows:
|
Superior Appeals Court |
-6% |
|
Inferior Appeals Court |
-26% |
|
First Hall |
-4% |
|
Magistrates’ Court |
-4% |
|
Small Claims Tribunal |
-7% |
The minister said the reduction was achieved even though the number of new cases remained constant.
He said that the biggest bulk of cases had been pending for between a year and three years, compared to between six and seven years a short time ago.