Magistrate wait causing case backlog
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Coles and national children’s news website SOUTHERN Tasmania’s new magistrate will be announced “shortly”, but the Hobart Magistrates Court is struggling with the amount of cases waiting to be heard.
Magistrate Sam Mollard retired this year, and his position has been vacant since the start of this month.
Magistrate Chris Webster this week said the court was one magistrate down, but the problem was exacerbated by another magistrate being on sick leave.
A Justice Department spokeswoman said the new magistrate would be announced “shortly”, once the appointment had been approved by the Executive Council — made up of Cabinet Ministers and presided over by the Governor.
The spokeswoman said the process to fill the vacancy had been undertaken in accordance with the judicial appointments protocol.
“This process is ensuring a proper level of due diligence is undertaken prior to any juKidsnews.com.au are giving away the special 12-page newspaper mini — with stories about flying cars, new planets and the highest motorbike backflip ever recorded — as part of the supermarket’s hugely popular Little Shop 2 promotion.
Also featured in the newspaper mini are some of Little Shop 2’s app characters, such as Happy the marching band leader and Chuck the dicial appointment,” spokeswoman said.
She said Governor Kate Warner accepted Mr Mollard’s resignation on March 18, which was required before the process to fill the position could begin.
The position was advertised on March 30, with applications closing on April 19 and interviews held in May and June.
Law Society of Tasmania president Evan Hughes said the process of appointing a new magistrate was important and, as a result, took time.
“However, when there’s a gap in that already heavily committed [Hobart Magistrates Court] list it has an imthe chippie tradie, who are based on grocery items Vegemite and Coles Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Mum Leanne Bradley said the newspaper collectable would encourage kids to learn new things.
A limit of one bonus newspaper mini applies for every newspaper bought, with a maximum of five minis a transaction, excluding Coles Online and Coles Express. pact,” Mr Hughes said. “When you have a retiring magistrate you have ample opportunity to plan for that succession.”
Mr Hughes said changes should be considered to enable efforts to recruit a replacement to start “at a far earlier stage”.
Yesterday Magistrate Webster took on extra cases to cover for the magistrate on sick leave. He also had to adjourn hearings that were ready to go ahead.
Mr Webster said there were no available hearing dates between now and January.
Hearing dates beyond January had not been set and it was not known when the “mystery magistrate” would start.
Mr Webster adjourned two hearings — a man charged with being the owner of a dog that allegedly attacked a person and caused a serious injury, and another man charged with evading police and racing another vehicle on a public street — to be mentioned in December, at which time he said the defendants would receive a date for the cases to be heard.