The average age of court cases before Nelson District Court has fallen significantly since April 2013, says Justice and Courts Minister Amy Adams.
The Court saw significant reductions in the age of civil cases and jury trail cases which are down 48.2 per cent and 17.6 per cent respectively, while the average age of criminal cases was down 3.7 per cent.
“Going through the courts can be a stressful experience for victims, witnesses and their families and delays can be particularly frustrating and distressing. That’s why the government is focused on reducing needless delays in the courts,” says Ms Adams.
“We’re working hard to keep everyone’s time in the court system to a minimum.
“Crime rates are falling across the country which is certainly assisting in reducing the time court cases take,” says Ms Adams.
The government has set itself a target to reduce the age of court cases by half by 2017. As at the end of December 2014, there was a nationwide reduction of 21.5 per cent in the average age of criminal cases.
“We’re continuing to work hard to achieve our target of halving the time it takes to deliver justice services.
“Our courts have a hard-earned reputation for fairness and impartiality, but they also need to run on time. The Government is focused on improving the transparency, speed and efficiency with which our courts operate and ensuring the way courts work reflects the modern age we live in,” says Ms Adams.
