bad listing. Since the most precious of a judiciary's resources is judicial time and since only good listing can deploy it effectively this is fair enough. And the effects of court activity on the public's time and resources are also entirely within the ambit of listing. Good listing will keep the courts busy but not people waiting at court or returning unnecessarily.
10.
As every listing officer knows listing for courts in continuous session ought to be a continuous activity requiring continuous functional management by one senior official. Whilst the ultimate control is judicial too much judicial involvement day by day is not productive for several reasons: first the totality of the court's listing information is with the listing officer; secondly, the Judges are on the bench and incommunicado for most of the working day; thirdly, a judge is more fruitfully deployed as judge than listing officer; and fourthly, frequent recourse to a judge by the discontented destroys the authority of the listing officer and with it the efficacy of the listing system. Nevertheless, the system itself must operate under the authority of the senior or presiding judge. Judicial control of the listing in a single court complex is best if taken by one presiding judge with one listing officer advising him and responsible for carrying out the
the operations. To have more than one judge
responsible for co-ordinating a court complex is to impede efficiency. Nevertheless, in the pursuit of effectiveness and efficiency every judge will be concerned with efficient listing. Where a judge other than the presider takes pleas or call-over he should try to follow the court's listing policy as expressed by the presider; every judge has a responsibility for ensuring that his own time is fully and well used.
11.
Current diversification of control in Hong Kong does not permit of fully effective listing. The responsibility for control should rest with the presider. He will be responsible to the Chief Justice and in regular consultation with the judges at his court; will be kept advised by the court administrator and the
Frequent contact between him and the listing officer is
officer.
the listing
essential.
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