WEDNESDAY, JULY 27, 1994
FIRST REVIEW OF LEGAL DEPARTMENT'S WORK PUBLISHED
LAWYERS
THE
OF
CIVIL
"LEGAL
ACTING FOR THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT PROSECUTED A TOTAL 4,970 CASES IN THE VARIOUS LEVELS OF COURTS, AND HANDLED 4,125 ACTIONS DURING THE LAST FINANCIAL YEAR, ACCORDING TO DEPARTMENT 1994", THE FIRST REVIEW OF THE DEPARTMENT'S WORK PUBLISHED TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
THIS IS IN ADDITION TO THE LARGE AMOUNT OF CASES AND SUMMONSES
COURT PROSECUTORS IN HANDLED BY THE DEPARTMENT'S
THE MAGISTRATES COURTS - AMOUNTING TO 570,000
-
IN 1993.
AMONG THE 4,970 CASES PROSECUTED IN THE 1993/94 FINANCIAL YEAR, 864 CASES WERE HEARD IN MAGISTRATES COURTS, 1,507 IN THE DISTRICT COURT, 673 IN THE HIGH COURT, AND 1,926 IN THE COURT OF APPEAL.
THE CONVICTION RATE WAS 78.2 PER CENT IN CASES HANDLED BY COURT PROSECUTORS AND 59 PER CENT BY COUNSEL IN MAGISTRATES COURTS; 67.4 PER CENT IN THE DISTRICT COURT; AND 70.1 PER CENT IN THE HIGH COURT, ACCORDING TO THE REPORT.
WRITING IN THE FOREWORD OF THE REPORT, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, MR JEREMY MATHEWS, SAID HE WAS PLEASED TO SEE THAT THERE WAS GROWING INTEREST IN THE WORK OF THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT,
AND
MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, THE MEDIA, AND THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE WERE INCREASINGLY SEEKING INFORMATION FROM HIM HIS COLLEAGUES, HE SAID.
SINCE BECOMING ATTORNEY GENERAL IN 1988, HE SAID HE HAD, THROUGH SPEECHES, ARTICLES, AND ANSWERS IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, FREQUENTLY EXPLAINED ASPECTS OF THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT'S WORK.
LAST YEAR, THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT PUBLISHED A BOOKLET SETTING OUT THE BASIS ON WHICH DECISIONS IN RESPECT OF PROSECUTIONS WERE MADE.
1
ALL
"I AM NOW PLEASED TO INTRODUCE THIS BOOKLET, LEGAL DEPARTMENT 1994 WHICH ATTEMPTS TO EXPLAIN THE WORKINGS AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF SECTIONS OF MY DEPARTMENT, MR MATHEWS SAID.
"I HOPE THIS PUBLICATION WILL HELP THE COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE THE VITAL LEGAL SERVICES PROVIDED BY MY DEPARTMENT," HE ADDED.
THE PUBLICATION, IN ADDITION TO EXPLAINING THE ORGANISATION THE
ACHIEVEMENTS LEGAL DEPARTMENT, ALSO ILLUSTRATES THE WORK AND THE DEPARTMENT'S SIX DIVISIONS.
OF
OF
ON THE WORK OF THE CIVIL DIVISION, THE REVIEW SAID IT HANDLED A TOTAL OF 4,125 CIVIL LITIGATION CASES DURING 1993/94.
82.9 CROWN.
PER
COURT THESE CASES, SOME WERE SUBSEQUENTLY TAKEN TO AMONG
CENT OF THEM, OR 334 CASES, WERE DECIDED IN FAVOUR
AND
OF
THE
/IN RESPECT