9. LOUISA WALL (Labour) Link to this
to the Minister for Courts
What are the benefits of installing digital recording and transcription in High Court courtrooms?
Hon RICK BARKER (Minister for Courts) Link to this
The key benefits of this technology are that participants can speak at a normal speed, meaning that trials can be heard more quickly. This technology is estimated to reduce court hearing times by between 20 and 30 percent. The new system was used in a recent murder trial in Wellington, where it was a key contributing factor in reducing the trial time from an expected 8 weeks to 4 weeks. The trial time was cut in half. This technology has enormous potential benefits in reducing court waiting times. Another benefit will be the ability to transfer the transcription of a local trial to another part of New Zealand, if local transcription staff are unavailable.
Kia ora. In addition to this technology, what other initiatives are being undertaken in the High Court to assist case throughput?
Our range of initiatives includes new pre-trial processes, whereby conferences are held 1 to 2 weeks before the trial date to ensure that everything is ready; regular review of pending cases in the District Court destined for the High Court, to identify an early trial date, rather than waiting until the case reaches the High Court; regularly held inter-agency meetings at a national level to resolve any issues holding up a trial—for example, technical issues around methamphetamine science—implementation of a national roster; flexibility for judges in cases; and better use of settlement conferences and mediation in civil matters, which results in more cases being settled without needing a full hearing.