Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | News Video | Crime | Employers | Housing | Immigration | Legal | Local Govt. | Maori | Welfare | Unions | Youth | Search

 

Judges Vigilant to Impact of Pay Dispute

CHIEF DISTRICT COURT JUDGE FOR NEW ZEALAND

TE KAIWHAKAWĀ MATUA O TE KŌTI-Ā-ROHE

Judge Jan-Marie Doogue

13 November 2018

Statement from the Chief District Court Judge - For Immediate re-lease

DC Judges Vigilant to Impact of Pay Dispute

The Chief District Court Judge is taking steps to protect the rights of people needing urgent access to justice during the ongoing industrial dispute between the Ministry of Justice and court staff who are members of the PSA.

Chief Judge Jan-Marie Doogue says she wants to reassure the public that judges are doing their best to spare court participants from disruption and stress related to the dispute’s impact. They wish to avoid having people being held in custody for any longer than is necessary and are also concerned that vulnerable participants are not retraumatised by any delays or disruption.

Chief Judge Doogue says the dispute is beyond judges’ control, but all District Court judges have a duty to try and continue to dispense justice for the public, especially those whose fundamental hu-man rights are affected or who are seeking the urgent protection of the court.

As a result, where possible District Court judges:

• • are sitting earlier in the day

• • will give priority to people held in custody so they are dealt with at the beginning of the day

• • will ask that prisoners are brought to court in person where the Audio Visual Link from prison and police cells will not be supported

• • are applying extra vigilance to the Family Court’s national electronic platform for dealing with urgent Protection Order applications

• • will look at deferring non-jury trials from early December through till the New Year so as to give priority to sentencing defendants who are held in custody before Christmas.

The Chief Judge has also asked that judges place clearly on the court record whenever a case is de-ferred or adjourned because of the dispute, to enable more accurate assessment of its impact.

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

However, she says redeploying judicial resource to cope may have flow-on effects elsewhere in the District Court.

“Already we have had hearings either deferred or becoming drawn out because of the industrial action. Uncertainty and delay is hard on everyone involved,” Chief Judge Doogue said.

“Any failure to support sentencing hearings or to process documentation relating to sentencing has the potential to leave defendants in custody for unacceptable periods of time. Defendants who might have been sentenced to community based sentences such as home detention or community detention risk remaining in prison until their sentencing can be rescheduled.

“The delays compound quickly, including in the Family Court. For instance, I have been advised that a Family Court hearing involving multiple overseas witnesses risks being deferred because of an AVL ban, and the next available dates for such a lengthy hearing are late next year.

“Judges rely heavily on court staff and their employer, the Ministry of Justice, for the District Court to run efficiently.

“It is a challenging and dynamic environment at the best of times, and a prolonged dispute places extra stress on the District Court when it is already under heavy workloads and intense pressure.”


© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines



Gordon Campbell: On Dune 2, And Images Of Islam


Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture tends to be hostile to Islam when we’re sitting in the dark, with popcorn.
Any number of movie examples come to mind, beginning with Rudolf Valentino’s role (over a century ago) as the romantic Arab hero in The Sheik...
More


 
 


Government: One-stop Shop Major Projects On The Fast Track

The Coalition Government’s new one-stop-shop fast track consenting regime for regional and national projects of significance will cut red tape and make it easier for New Zealand to build the infrastructure and major projects needed to get the country moving again... More

ALSO:


Government: GPS 2024: Over $20 Billion To Get Transport Back On Track
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has released the draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Land Transport, outlining the Coalition Government’s plan to build and maintain a transport system that enables people to get to where they need to go quickly and safely... More

ALSO:

Government: Humanitarian Support For Gaza & West Bank

Winston Peters has announced NZ is providing a further $5M to respond to the extreme humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank. “The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians is absolutely appalling," he said... More


Government: New High Court Judge Appointed

Judith Collins has announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister Jason Scott McHerron as a High Court Judge. Justice McHerron graduated from the University of Otago with a BA in English Literature in 1994 and an LLB in 1996... More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.