Magistrates are deciding more cases than new ones are being filed in the criminal court, Justice Minister Owen Bonnici told a press conference this morning.

He said the civil and commercial courts had also made significant progress, with cases being settled faster and a 'drastic' cut being made in pending cases. This, he explained, was good news both for individuals as well as businesses.

In the Civil Courts during last year compared to 2012, the clearance rate was up to 112%, disposition time was down to 668 days and pending cases were down by 11%.

"We are in a period of recovery in ordered to deliver our promise of better and more efficient justice," the minister said. 

He said this progress was a result of hard work by all involved as well as measures taken by the government for faster proceedings and the allocation of more resources.