DURATION OF CASES ADJUDICATED
The nature of the charges presented to the court for a defendant, along with the process required to deal with the charges (which is affected by the type of plea), impact on the time required for a court to finalise a case. Court resources and complexity of cases can also have an impact. The duration is calculated from the date of initiation to finalisation of the case (for more information about duration see paragraphs 39 and 59-61 of the Explanatory Notes and the Glossary).
Almost one fifth (19%) of defendants adjudicated were finalised in less than 13 weeks from the date of initiation, while 47% were finalised in under 26 weeks from initiation. Almost a quarter (22%) of defendants were finalised 52 weeks or more after initiation.
Of defendants that went to trial and were found guilty by the court, almost half (46%) were finalised 52 weeks or more after initiation. Of those acquitted, 38% were finalised in this same time period. For defendants who pleaded guilty in 2009-10, 22% were finalised in less than 13 weeks (Table 2.9).
The length of time to finalise cases had increased between 2001-02 and 2009-10. In 2001-02 the proportion of defendants with cases finalised in less than 13 weeks was 33%, while the proportion of defendants with cases finalised in 52 weeks or more after initiation was 14%. The comparable figures for 2009-10 were 19% and 22% respectively.
DEFENDANTS ADJUDICATED, Duration of cases finalised
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