- Jurisdictional review announced to reduce time to trial and improve justice outcomes
- Examination of improving cost recovery in the Supreme Court
- Former Supreme Court Judge Janine Pritchard to lead the review
The Cook Labor Government has announced an independent jurisdictional review that will examine ways to make Western Australia's justice system faster and more accessible.
The review will be led by former Supreme Court Judge and President of the State Administrative Tribunal Janine Pritchard and will be conducted in consultation with key stakeholders from the judiciary, legal profession, court and tribunal staff and other relevant government entities.
The review will consider what efficiencies can be made to improve time to trial for criminal matters, especially in the District Court.
While the resourcing of courts and tribunals is under regular review, it is critical to identify where more efficiencies can be made.
The review will also consider the fee structure for people involved in civil litigation in the Supreme Court, and the potential for increased cost recovery, particularly in respect to what are known as well-resourced litigants.
WA's court and tribunal system comprises a range of courts with overlapping and complementary jurisdictions, including the Supreme Court, District Court, Magistrates Court, Children's Court, Wardens Court, Industrial Magistrates Court, and State Administrative Tribunal.
The review will examine whether matters currently within the jurisdiction of these courts and tribunals could be more efficiently or appropriately dealt with by other statutory bodies, or by other courts and tribunals.
As stated by Attorney General Dr Tony Buti:
"Our court system must be setup to serve all Western Australians appropriately and I want to investigate how we can make it more efficient and accessible.
"It is also important to ensure we get cost recovery right and to ensure access to justice for all.
"I would like to thank Janine Pritchard for leading the review and I look forward to considering the results of this important piece of work."
As stated by Independent Reviewer Janine Pritchard:
"I am honoured to lead this review, which presents a significant opportunity to enhance the efficiency and accessibility of Western Australia's justice system.
"By examining ways to reduce time to trial, we can improve outcomes for all court users, ensuring our system truly serves every Western Australian.
"Our aim is to identify solutions that not only streamline processes but also reduce the harmful impact protracted legal matters can have on individuals in our community."
