Matthew Maxwell Scott, executive director of the Association of Consumer Support Organisations (ACSO), has welcomed the Justice Select Committee’s plans to reinstate its inquiry into the work of the County Court.
The Justice Select Committee launched a new inquiry following calls for urgent action to address court wait times. ACSO lobbied for the original inquiry, which was cut short by the election, and now emphasises the need for immediate action.
According to the most recent Civil Justice Statistics Quarterly, which was published in December, small claims took an average of 50.7 weeks to reach trial, while multi- and fast-track claims averaged 76.8 weeks. By comparison, pre-pandemic figures from late 2019 were 31.1 weeks and 60.9 weeks, respectively, Scott said.
“It’s hugely welcome that the new Justice Committee has seen the importance of picking up this baton from its predecessor,” Scott stated. “Court wait times remain stubbornly high, having been on an upward trajectory even before COVID.”
“Civil justice continues to be delayed and therefore denied for thousands, but with a new government there is an opportunity to turn things around,” he added.
Scott also noted the disparity in attention given to criminal versus civil justice. “Although criminal justice receives all the attention from the media and politicians, it is the Civil Courts where the vast majority of citizens interact with the law,” he said.
ACSO has urged the committee to push for clear targets and collaborative efforts across the sector to address the delays and restore public confidence in the system.
Maxwell Scott added: "We hope the new committee will agree with us that we need fresh impetus from the latest civil justice minister, clear targets and expertise brought in from across the sector to work out how to get the delays down and confidence in the system back up."
The inquiry’s relaunch is expected to bring renewed focus to the challenges facing the civil justice system and explore solutions to improve efficiency and access to justice.