Virtual courts help cut backlog

VIRTUAL court hearings and online filing of appeals have helped clear the backlog of cases in the Supreme Court, and have slashed waiting times from a five-year high.

Changes in the court system brought about by the pandemic, and new rules introduced last year, have made the system more efficient, the court’s annual report has found.

And the Supreme Court may continue to hear many cases remotely, even after the pandemic is over, the Chief Justice has said.

Judge Frank Clarke said waiting times for appeals to be heard were now at a historic low of below 14 weeks. This compares to waiting times averaging 12 months in 2019, and five years in 2014.

And the number of reserved judgments stood at six yesterday, compared with up to 20 in other years.

Judge Clarke said the last ordinary sitting of the Supreme Court to hear an appeal physically in the Supreme Court courtroom was on March 12, 2020.

He said that for the remainder of 2020, all apart from one appeal occurred by remote hearing.

Other measures introduced during the pandemic include the automation of administration and services, the online filing of appeals, and the E-filing of submissions.

Judge Clarke said that remote hearings had some disadvantages, including a reduced ability to interact with counsel.

However, he said serious consideration would be given to continuing remote hearings for matters of management or straightforward issues.