- Hon Nicole McKee
Courts Minister Nicole McKee is welcoming the largest ever reduction in the District Court's criminal backlog, with a 22 percent drop over the past year - the equivalent of 1,562 fewer cases waiting to be heard.
"The Government's focus on fixing what matters is working for victims," says Mrs McKee.
In December 2024 there were 7,133 cases in the backlog. By December 2025, that number had fallen to 5,571.
"This means at least 1562 fewer victims waiting for their day in court to see justice delivered," says Mrs McKee.
"The turnaround reflects a whole-of-justice-sector effort, including collaboration between the judiciary, court staff, the legal profession, and agencies such as police and corrections.
"I want to thank everyone across the sector who has worked hard to achieve this result. Their focus on timeliness is making a tangible difference for victims and communities.
"The improvement demonstrates the continuing impact of the justice sector's timeliness initiatives, first introduced in the Auckland metro courts and now reflected in national performance.
"Key improvements include changes led by the judiciary to rostering and scheduling, which have enabled judicial resources to be prioritised to District Court locations with the largest backlogs. We are also seeing better trial preparedness by parties and fewer unnecessary adjournments.
"Additionally, we have strengthened performance reporting and sharpened our focus on timely justice across the criminal jurisdiction.
"There is still more work to do, but this result shows the approach is working. We are focused on practical changes that make a real difference for victims.
"The Family Court backlog has also improved, with a 9 percent decrease in the same period, equivalent to around 850 applications.
"Upcoming legislative reform will further support faster justice, including expanding the powers and number of Community Magistrates, encouraging greater use of remote participation in court, and improving jury selection processes.
"Delivering the largest ever reduction in the criminal backlog is a significant milestone, but the real measure of success is what it means for victims.
"For victims, delays can mean prolonged stress, uncertainty, and trauma. Fixing what matters means reducing that wait and restoring confidence that the system will respond promptly when harm is done."
