More judges and incentives for early guilty pleas proposed to fix case backlog
Tasmania's courts are choked, with backlogged cases up 139 per cent from a decade ago. A new report has suggested ways to unclog the system.
Tasmania has seen a dramatic 139 percent rise in pending non-appeal criminal cases over the past decade, with 912 cases awaiting resolution as of June 30 last year. A review led by Lloyd Babb has proposed 20 potential solutions to alleviate this backlog and better allocate court resources. Key recommendations include granting incentives for early guilty pleas, adding more judges and reserve judges, and diverting certain cases to tribunals.
The report also suggests implementing a "super call-over" process to expedite case finalizations, improving evidence disclosure, and involving legal aid in early matter resolution. The government has accepted 19 of these recommendations, with one requiring further consideration. Babb emphasized that while these changes could significantly improve the system, they are not the only possible solution but will likely lead to substantial improvements.
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