TNAG-1589-FCO40-21741-Future-of-the-judiciary-in-Hong-Kong.-Part-1-of-2-1987 — Page 111

kind of delays which are the curse of so many countries are almost non-existent here and where any do occur they are no more than a minor

and soluble problem.

The aim of this Report is to advise how the good work might I hope readers and commentators now be consolidated and carried on.

There is one matter will read it and comment on it in that light. which does most especially need to be seen in its true perspective. The words "time and mction study" have been used about my work and there has been comment about the number of hours per day spent by

judges in court.

it is nct a time and Whatever else my Study is,

moticn" one.

Information about the use of courtrooms was collected and collated for me by the Judiciary itself as a part of what I needed in An airline needs to know order to learn how the systems are working.

No

The

how long its planes are in the air and so does judicial administration need to know how long its courtrooms are used for their only purpose which is as places for the public formal resolution of disputes. inquiry could ignore that factor but an inquiry which concentrated on it and ignored the other factors which together make up a judge's work Because it is the only factor that is would be equally invalid. quantifiable it is dangerously easy to give it undue weight. purpose of the measurement is not tɔ determine judicial performance and effectiveness but to see how well the systems, particularly the listing systems, are working, and to consider whether changes or improvements in the systems are desirable. It is up to the administration to use of provide, the framework in which the judges can make the best

The usable court-time and the lawyers can co-operate towards that end. purpose of my Study is to help improve the framework.

If I have learned anything in practice, judicial work, judicial administration and foreign study I have learned two things: first, it is impossible consistently to keep courts busy for just the right time cach day and no more; secondly, time spent in court is not in the public by itself

a judge's effectiveness service. It is quite easy to lengthen a case to fill full days by not preparing it, by not helping the parties towards a just settlement, by

an

indicator

of

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