Backlog hinders justice

JUSTICE will be a slow grind on the Gold Coast in coming weeks because of delays caused by a two-week court closure during the Commonwealth Games.

Lawyers have estimated it will take until June for the magistrates court to return to normal operations.

Magistrate Donald MacKenzie spent the closure telling lawyers there is no space in the court calendar in April.

A spokesman for the Office of the Chief Magistrates said extra sitting days would be allocated as necessary.

The court has mostly been closed, with just an arrest court and an emergency domestic violence court operating at Southport Magistrates Court during the Games.

Defendants in custody have been prioritised for future dates and squeezed into jampacked lists in late April in a bid to keep justice moving.

Next week some court rooms are expected to start early to deal with bloated lists.

When adjourning matters this week, Mr MacKenzie explained to lawyers there was no space left in April.

“I would just like to put it off to May – no day in April is better,” he told one lawyer.

Buckland Allen Criminal Lawyers principal Jodi Allen said it would likely take until June to clear the backlog.

“Everything is being adjourned for longer than usual and we are full up,” she said, adding that normally would be progressing had stagnated.

“We are looking at about June to get back to normal,” she said.

A spokesman for the Chief Magistrates Office was confident backlogs would be cleared efficiently.