A third of separating married couples did so amicably following mediation over the past year, Justice Minister Owen Bonnici said earlier today.

In 2012 only a fifth of couples did not need to go to court.

Dr Bonnici said nearly all the separation cases filed in the family court this year had already been settled. In fact, just one of the 462 cases had not yet been concluded.

The minister said that 213 of the concluded cases had reached an agreement and did not need further court action. Some 24 couples had even reconciled as a result of the mediation process.

Dr Bonnici said the government had invested training and resources in the Family Court, and this was bearing fruit.Around 1, 140 cases were currently pending, some 18

Around 1,140 cases were currently pending, some 18 per cent less than five years ago, despite measures making the court more accessible.

Dr Bonnici said the tariffs for filing a case with the court had been recently been reduced.

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