Report on Government Services 2019

Part C, Chapter 7

7 Courts

The focus of this chapter is the court administration functions of Australian and State and Territory courts.

Data are reported for the Federal Court, the Family Court of Australia and the Federal Circuit Court, the criminal and civil jurisdictions of the supreme courts (including probate registries), district/county courts, magistrates' courts (including children's courts), coroners' courts and the Family Court of WA.

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Key Facts
Indicator Framework
Indicator Results

The focus of this chapter is the court administration functions of Australian and State and Territory courts. Data are reported for the Federal Court, the Family Court of Australia and the Federal Circuit Court, the criminal and civil jurisdictions of the supreme courts (including probate registries), district/county courts, magistrates' courts (including children's courts), coroners' courts and the Family Court of WA.

In 2017-18, in the criminal jurisdiction of the supreme, district/county, magistrates’ and children’s courts, approximately 791 216 cases were lodged, and 800 454 cases were finalised.
In the civil jurisdiction of these same courts approximately 419 765 cases were lodged and 427 208 cases finalised.
In the Australian courts, approximately 122 463 cases were lodged, and 121 495 cases finalised.
Total court administration recurrent expenditure less income (excluding fines) by the court authorities covered in this chapter was approximately $1.5 billion in 2017-18, comprising $1.29 billion for the State and Territory courts and $222.4 million for the Australian courts.

Courts aim to safeguard and maintain the rule of law and ensure equal justice for all. Court services support the courts and aim to encourage public confidence and trust in the courts by enabling them to:

be open and accessible
be affordable
process matters in a high quality, expeditious and timely manner.

Governments aim for court services to meet these objectives in an equitable and efficient manner.

The performance indicator framework provides information on equity, efficiency and effectiveness, and distinguishes the outputs and outcomes of courts. The performance indicator framework shows which data are complete and comparable in the 2019 Report.

Indicator framework

An overview of the Courts performance indicator results are presented. Information to assist the interpretation of these data can be found in the indicator interpretation boxes in the Courts chapter and attachment tables.

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Effectiveness — Access — Timeliness and delay indicators

Judicial officers

Number of FTE judicial officers, per 100 000 people, 2017-18

Most recent data for this measure are comparable and complete, subject to caveats
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aus Gov	Aust
Supreme/Federal	0.7	0.9	0.5	0.9	0.7	1.6	1.6	3.6	0.2	1.0
District/County	0.9	1.1	0.7	1.1	1.2	..	..	..	..	0.9
Magistrates’	1.5	1.8	1.8	1.8	2.0	2.0	1.9	6.3	..	1.8
Children’s	0.4	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.3	0.2	0.6	..	0.3
Family	..	..	..	0.6	..	..	..	..	0.1	0.2
Federal Circuit	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	0.3	0.3
Coroners’	0.1	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.5	–	0.6	..	0.1
Total	3.6	4.1	3.3	4.7	4.3	4.4	3.7	11.1	0.6	4.5

Source: Attachment table 7A.24

Backlog

Percentage of criminal lodgments pending completion at 30 June 2018 (per cent)

Most recent data for this measure are comparable and complete, subject to caveats
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aus Gov	Aust
Supreme (appeal) >12 months	4.8	8.6	13.4	11.0	11.7	5.6	22.2	19.2	..	..
Supreme (appeal) >24 months	–	–	2.8	–	–	–	7.4	–	..	..
Supreme (non-appeal) >12 months	32.1	25.0	18.9	10.0	22.4	35.3	13.6	7.7	..	..
Supreme (non-appeal) >24 months	9.5	8.1	3.9	1.2	–	10.1	3.5	0.7	..	..
District (appeal) >12 months	1.2	6.6	19.8	..	..	..	..	..	..	..
District (appeal) >24 months	0.1	1.1	7.0	..	..	..	..	..	..	..
District (non-appeal) >12 months	21.7	19.5	15.4	10.9	28.5	..	..	..	..	..
District (non-appeal) >24 months	4.7	4.1	4.8	1.2	8.7	..	..	..	..	..
Magistrates' >6 months	13.0	27.9	35.5	33.5	26.8	36.2	26.5	23.0	..	..
Magistrates' >12 months	1.9	10.3	16.1	13.8	8.7	15.0	9.9	7.4	..	..
Children's >6 months	18.2	16.6	18.6	18.1	12.6	20.3	8.9	22.7	..	..
Children's >12 months	2.0	4.2	6.5	5.0	2.5	7.0	1.1	8.2	..	..

Source: Attachment table 7A.17

Percentage of civil lodgments pending completion at 30 June 2018 (per cent)

Most recent data for this measure are comparable and complete, subject to caveats
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aus Gov	Aust
Supreme/Federal (appeal) >12 months	13.0	10.8	16.1	29.0	23.7	38.3	20.8	27.6	10.6	..
Supreme/Federal (appeal) >24 months	1.1	5.6	1.1	3.7	5.1	11.7	10.4	6.9	2.5	..
Supreme (excl. probate)/Federal (non-appeal) >12 months	32.3	31.9	27.5	33.2	26.3	39.3	19.6	29.2	34.5	..
Supreme (excl. probate)/Federal (non-appeal) >24 months	13.6	14.5	7.2	11.0	12.2	23.3	6.1	11.5	18.7	..
District (appeal) >12 months	15.2	6.7	21.4	11.7	13.9	..	..	..	..	..
District (appeal) >24 months	–	–	11.4	1.9	11.1	..	..	..	..	..
District (non-appeal) >12 months	16.8	36.5	19.8	42.2	49.4	..	..	..	..	..
District (non-appeal) >24 months	3.0	16.2	4.2	14.9	21.7	..	..	..	..	..
Magistrates' >6 months	19.5	35.0	40.7	41.1	45.0	40.9	25.1	37.4	..	..
Magistrates' >12 months	1.2	25.8	10.4	9.4	11.8	10.7	9.9	13.5	..	..
Children's >6 months	45.0	24.4	45.6	43.3	6.6	36.4	34.4	18.8	..	..
Children's >12 months	10.2	8.3	17.0	17.9	1.6	16.7	6.6	1.8	..	..
Family (appeal) >12 months	..	..	..	20.0	..	..	..	..	12.3	..
Family (appeal) >24 months	..	..	..	–	..	..	..	..	3.2	..
Family (non-appeal) >12 months	..	..	..	35.1	..	..	..	..	33.5	..
Family (non-appeal) >24 months	..	..	..	13.4	..	..	..	..	15.9	..
Federal Circuit >6 months	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	40.1	..
Federal Circuit >12 months	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	22.2	..
Coroners >12 months	25.2	28.2	39.0	21.0	37.2	40.9	48.0	31.0	..	..
Coroners >24 months	11.5	13.3	17.7	6.6	17.8	14.6	26.6	18.4	..	..

Source: Attachment table 7A.18

On-time case processing — Experimental data

Percentage of criminal cases finalised during the year which were finalised in less than or equal to 6, 12 or 24 months, 2017-18

Most recent data for this measure are comparable and complete, subject to caveats
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aus Gov	Aust
Supreme (appeal) <=12 months	98.6	83.8	74.2	79.8	87.6	66.7	88.0	80.0	..	..
Supreme (appeal) <=24 months	100.0	99.3	97.5	97.3	95.9	90.9	100.0	96.7	..	..
Supreme (non-appeal) <=12 months	41.8	69.5	90.6	85.8	89.8	59.4	78.8	92.7	..	..
Supreme (non-appeal) <=24 months	88.8	92.7	98.4	99.1	96.6	87.4	98.3	98.6	..	..
District (appeal) <=12 months	87.3	97.4	86.8	..	..	..	..	..	..	..
District (appeal) <=24 months	97.7	99.8	95.1	..	..	..	..	..	..	..
District (non-appeal) <=12 months	22.1	82.1	93.3	84.7	72.7	..	..	..	..	..
District (non-appeal) <=24 months	55.4	97.6	98.1	98.8	91.5	..	..	..	..	..
Magistrates' <=6 months	88.1	74.7	81.5	85.8	70.0	54.6	81.8	83.8	..	..
Magistrates' <=12 months	98.2	90.7	92.0	94.3	88.4	79.9	93.6	94.6	..	..
Children's <=6 months	81.3	88.1	85.6	79.5	89.4	68.1	83.1	68.3	..	..
Children's <=12 months	97.5	96.8	95.4	94.6	96.4	90.3	94.2	91.5	..	..

Source: Attachment table 7A.19

Percentage of civil cases finalised during the year which were finalised in less than or equal to 6, 12 or 24 months, 2017-18

Most recent data for this measure are comparable and complete, subject to caveats
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aus Gov	Aust
Supreme/Federal (appeal) <=12 months	86.3	86.6	83.0	70.6	66.7	70.8	74.1	86.9	79.1	..
Supreme/Federal (appeal) <=24 months	98.2	98.5	99.4	94.4	96.0	87.5	94.8	95.3	97.9	..
Supreme (excl. probate)/Federal (non-appeal) <=12 months	77.5	73.1	45.8	53.3	72.1	43.2	59.5	68.9	87.0	..
Supreme (excl. probate)/Federal (non-appeal) <=24 months	92.0	89.3	93.0	89.2	90.8	83.4	92.3	88.7	93.9	..
District (appeal) <=12 months	91.9	93.3	72.5	84.8	73.5	..	..	..	..	..
District (appeal) <=24 months	98.4	100.0	93.8	99.0	94.1	..	..	..	..	..
District (non-appeal) <=12 months	68.8	56.5	40.6	69.2	52.8	..	..	..	..	..
District (non-appeal) <=24 months	95.0	88.1	94.1	91.5	78.3	..	..	..	..	..
Magistrates' <=6 months	60.8	74.9	64.9	78.9	59.8	52.9	85.8	94.3	..	..
Magistrates' <=12 months	96.5	78.3	72.3	83.7	69.6	86.9	95.4	98.0	..	..
Children's <=6 months	53.0	81.4	75.7	69.1	97.3	87.2	82.8	83.0	..	..
Children's <=12 months	90.2	95.7	90.5	82.1	99.8	95.6	94.0	97.0	..	..
Family (appeal) <=12 months	..	..	..	83.3	..	..	..	..	83.5	..
Family (appeal) <=24 months	..	..	..	100.0	..	..	..	..	95.7	..
Family (non-appeal) <=12 months	..	..	..	77.2	..	..	..	..	92.7	..
Family (non-appeal) <=24 months	..	..	..	92.6	..	..	..	..	96.8	..
Federal Circuit <=6 months	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	75.6	..
Federal Circuit <=12 months	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	88.3	..
Coroners <=12 months	89.4	85.0	85.7	47.5	57.6	44.8	91.0	74.3	..	..
Coroners <=24 months	97.5	96.1	95.0	95.6	95.7	77.2	94.6	95.0	..	..

Source: Attachment table 7A.20

Attendance

Average number of attendances per finalisation, criminal courts, 2017‑18

Most recent data for this measure are not comparable or complete
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aus Gov	Aust
Supreme	na	na	3.0	3.3	3.7	5.1	7.4	6.4	..	..
District/County	3.2	4.9	3.7	4.1	6.5	..	..	..	..	..
Magistrates'	2.6	3.2	3.7	2.9	4.3	4.4	3.6	4.1	..	..
Children's	4.0	3.1	4.2	5.3	3.3	5.5	5.7	7.7	..	..

Average number of attendances per finalisation, civil courts, 2017‑18

Most recent data for this measure are not comparable or complete
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aus Gov	Aust
Supreme (excl. probate)/Federal	na	na	1.2	1.5	3.0	1.9	2.8	5.8	3.0	..
District/County	3.4	0.7	0.3	0.9	2.7	..	..	..	..	..
Magistrates'	1.0	1.3	1.3	0.8	1.2	1.3	1.6	1.5	..	..
Children's	4.9	4.4	3.8	4.5	2.9	4.6	6.9	4.1	..	..
Family	..	..	..	2.3	..	..	..	..	2.0	..
Federal Circuit	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	1.9	..
Coroners	5.3	1.6	3.5	2.3	5.0	3.1	8.3	1.0	..	..

Source: Attachment table 7A.21

Clearance

Finalisations divided by lodgments (multiplied by 100 to provide percentage), all matters, 2017‑18

Most recent data for this measure are comparable and complete, subject to caveats
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aus Gov	Aust
Supreme/Federal	95.5	104.1	104.7	96.9	109.0	100.2	95.4	92.6	94.6	..
District/County	104.9	98.9	97.6	97.6	113.9	..	..	..	..	..
Magistrates'	103.4	99.0	102.3	100.4	100.9	100.5	122.0	98.6	..	..
Children’s	101.6	97.8	95.5	106.6	96.7	102.0	98.0	102.4	..	..
Family	..	..	..	102.0	..	..	..	..	99.4	..
Federal Circuit	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	99.5	..
Coroners	98.2	97.9	93.1	101.4	108.2	101.2	97.1	78.2	..

Source: Attachment tables 7A.22-23

Effectiveness — Access — Affordability

Fees paid by applicants

Average civil court fees paid per lodgment, 2017-18 (dollars)

Most recent data for this measure are comparable and complete, subject to caveats
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aus Gov	Aust
Supreme (excl. probate)/Federal	4 023	2 169	2 496	2 602	3 251	1 097	3 009	2 527	2 808	2 936
District/County	2 093	1 684	976	1 163	1 077	..	..	..	..	1 495
Magistrates' (only)	218	232	115	155	142	102	310	10	..	187
Family	..	..	..	387	..	..	..	..	242	305
Federal Circuit	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	612	612
Probate ‑ Supreme	1 503	392	683	350	1 662	856	1 462	1 369	..	960

Source: Attachment table 7A.15

Efficiency

Judicial officers per finalisation

Full time equivalent judicial officers divided by total finalisations (multiplied by 1000), 2017-18

Most recent data for this measure are comparable and complete, subject to caveats
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aus Gov	Aust
Supreme/Federal	7.6	9.2	4.3	6.9	8.6	6.4	6.7	11.3	8.2	7.4
District/County	3.9	5.8	2.7	3.7	5.4	..	..	..	..	4.1
Magistrates'	0.4	0.5	0.4	0.3	0.5	0.4	0.7	0.9	..	0.4
Children's	1.4	0.6	0.4	0.5	0.9	0.8	2.1	0.9	..	0.8
Family	..	..	..	1.0	..	..	..	..	1.5	1.3
Federal Circuit	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	0.7	0.7
Coroners	0.9	1.5	1.5	1.7	1.0	4.6	0.6	6.2	..	1.4
Total	0.8	0.9	0.6	0.7	0.9	0.8	1.1	1.4	1.2	0.8

Source: Attachment table 7A.25

Full time equivalent staff (FTE) per finalisation

Full time equivalent staff divided by total finalisations (multiplied by 1000), 2017-18

Most recent data for this measure are comparable and complete, subject to caveats
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aus Gov	Aust
Criminal courts	6.0	4.9	3.3	3.8	8.6	4.1	8.0	6.7	..	4.9
Civil courts	5.9	6.6	4.0	5.6	5.5	6.0	14.0	7.8	57.2	6.5
Family courts	..	..	..	9.2	..	..	..	..	7.7	8.4
Federal Circuit	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	6.4	6.4
Coroners	5.9	14.5	11.5	13.6	9.1	11.8	16.9	23.7	..	11.0
Total	5.9	5.7	3.6	5.0	7.5	4.7	10.0	7.2	9.0	5.7

Source: Attachment table 7A.26

Cost per finalisation

Total recurrent expenditure (minus income) divided by total finalisations, criminal, 2017-18 (dollars)

Most recent data for this measure are not comparable but are complete, subject to caveats
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aus Gov	Aust
Supreme	46 503	50 142	6 736	25 528	32 003	17 546	23 952	23 675	..	19 096
District/County	7 707	17 052	6 672	17 768	11 159	..	..	..	..	10 221
Magistrates'	578	784	503	635	963	485	999	1 194	..	647
Children's	888	395	774	543	684	646	2 293	1 194	..	682

Source: Attachment table 7A.27

Total recurrent expenditure (minus income) divided by total finalisations, civil, 2017-18 (dollars)

Most recent data for this measure are not comparable but are complete, subject to caveats
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aus Gov	Aust
Supreme (excl. probate)/Federal	5 120	8 489	5 486	10 640	4 948	5 722	7 337	19 228	14 703	8 588
District/County	2 020	4 124	1 543	1 132	3 440	..	..	..	..	2 388
Magistrates'	196	441	347	481	176	314	1 392	1 255	..	348
Children's	816	2 800	672	1 458	1 606	600	7 307	1 275	..	1 497
Family	..	..	..	1 616	..	..	..	..	2 310	2 007
Federal Circuit	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	..	969	969
Coroners	1 027	2 571	2 009	2 955	1 521	2 326	3 666	4 029	..	1 984

Source: Attachment table 7A.28

Notes

These data and caveats for these data are available in Chapter 7 and Attachment 7A.

na Not available. .. Not applicable. – Nil or rounded to zero.