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. The duration is calculated from the date of initiation to finalisation of the case (for more information about duration see paragraphs 40, 58, 60-61 of the Explanatory Notes and the Glossary).
In 2008-09, over half (59%) of all defendants adjudicated in the Magistrates' Court had charges finalised within 6 weeks of initiation. Duration of cases finalised within this time period have not changed markedly over time; the same proportion of adjudicated defendants were finalised in this time in 2003-04. Adjudicated defendants finalised at 52 weeks or longer comprised 3%; the same proportion in 2003-04.
In 2008-09, public order offences (80%), illicit drug offences (63%) and traffic offences (63%) had the largest proportion of adjudicated defendants finalised within 6 weeks of initiation.
DEFENDANTS ADJUDICATED, Duration of cases finalised