The number of court cases cleared over the last three years was the highest ever recorded, despite an increase in cases filed, Justice Minister Owen Bonnici said today.

Addressing a public consultation session on the government's justice reform, Dr Bonnici said 12 out of the judicial system's 15 branches were clearing more cases than were being opened and reducing backlog.

"We have seen a clearance rate of 100 per cent and more, even though we have had an increase, for instance, in the amount of cases filed in the Family Court," he said.  

The rate of pending cases was also decreasing, and had dropped by 11 per cent since 2013, he added.

"This is a turnaround, and the situation is improving," Dr Bonnici said, quipping that, as a Southampton FC fan, he  would not get ahead of himself and knew there was still a long way to go.

The consultation session with local stakeholders was organised ahead of the closing of the forensic year tomorrow, during which the judiciary will hand over its annual recommendations for the judicial system.

Dr Bonnici gave a comprehensive round up of the government's efforts to reform the justice sector. Some 36 outdated laws and several other pieces of subsidiary legislation had been removed.

New regulations for the promised Asset Management Bureau, which will seize money made from criminal activity, had been drafted.

A reform of the Civil Code was next on the cards and Dr Bonnici said this would be tabled in Parliament when the House reconvened in the coming weeks.

The first sitting of the drugs tribunal will also be held today.

Dr Bonnici said this was another major shift the government had ushered in, treating drug users as victims rather than criminals.