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Press Releases21/07/2010Courts Service Annual Report 2009The Courts Service Annual Report 2009 contains a series of reports and summaries relating to the work of the Courts Service in managing the courts, supporting the judiciary, providing services to court users, providing and maintaining court buildings, and providing information on the courts to the public. The report also gives an overview of the caseload of the courts with a detailed series of statistical reports. Introducing the report the Chief Justice the Hon. Mr. Justice John L. Murray said, "The present economic climate means that the Courts Service has had to confront new and different challenges of not only maintaining established services but of enhancing or expanding them to meet the persisting increase in the workload of the Courts. These challenges are all the greater because of an inevitable decrease in the funding available to resource its work. However, this change in circumstances has not prevented the Service from achieving considerable success. By adopting a practical, consensus and partnership approach to problem solving, both internally and externally, the Service continued to make much progress during the year." The Chief Executive Officer of the Courts Service Mr. Brendan Ryan said "In 2009 we showed measurable, increased productivity and value for money in the delivery of services. The average cost to the Service of a case was reduced from €138 in 2006 to €117 in 2009 - an improvement of 15%. Waiting times decreased in many instances, or stayed unchanged, despite substantial increases in the number of cases coming before the courts and the constant demands on the workforce. The number of judges increased by 29% between 2002 and 2009; the case load in the courts grew by 40% between 2006 and 2009 from 590,364 to 830,000; yet the number of staff remained largely the same and is now set to reduce by 11%." Change, progression and corporate initiativesHighlighted as corporate and organisational achievements are: the work of the group in compiling a report into 'Transforming Administration and Structures in the Courts' (TASC). This aims to find potential solutions to the challenges facing the Service and enable it become a more effective and efficient organisation
the Service has identified, implemented or progressed many of the efficiency and delivery measures recommended by the Government and bodies such as the OECD
the first sitting of the courts was held in the new iconic complex of the Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin in November and is already transforming the conduct of criminal business in the capital.
work on standardising processes in civil and family law cases, and laying the groundwork for a civil case management system
family law case progression in the Circuit Court with County Registrars playing a key role in overseeing the preparation of cases for trial
the use of video conferencing systems between courts and prisons introducing a more cost efficient and effective way to deal with remand hearings
over two million visits to our website last year - up over 25% - named by Justice Served as one of the 'Top 10 Court Related Websites' in the world
court funds managed by the service for the benefit of wards of court and minors have exhibited strong performances since investment strategies were established in December 2003. This has cushioned the funds from the worst impacts of the global financial crisis.
Court StatisticsIn the civil courts, the story of 2009 continued to be their reflecting the change in the economic climate. There was a considerableincrease in cases of a commercial nature particularly thoseinvolving claims for the recovery of debt and those affecting companies. In the criminalcourts, cases involving murder, drugs, theft and robbery, continued to increase. Family law cases seeking judicial separation and divorce decreased, as did applications under the domestic violence legislation.
Business and debt matters:Orders made in the High Court to wind up 128 companies - a 66% increase on 2008
Applications made in the High Court to restrict the directors of 65 companies - an increase of 35% on 2008
17 new bankruptcies in the High Court - a 110% increase on 2008
7 new arranging debtors in High Court compared to one in 2008
373 new cases admitted to the Commercial List in the High Court - an increase of 53% on 2008 - 304 cases disposed of
40% of all cases admitted to the Commercial List in first quarter of 2009 commenced as a claim for a liquidated sum on a summary summons. By the fourth quarter it was 52%
293 orders for possession made in High Court - a 23% increase on 2008
304 orders for possession made in the Circuit Court - a 35% increase on 2008
5,653 claims for recovery of liquidated amounts (debt) in High Court - a 48% increase on 2008
1,884 undefended judgments for liquidated amounts in High Court - an increase of 59% on 2008
347 judgments in defended cases for the recovery of liquidated amounts (Master's Orders) - a 43% increase on 2008
13,613 judgments for liquidated amounts in Circuit Court - a 33% increase on 2008
29,285 judgments for liquidated amounts in the District Court - an 18% increase on 2008
192 pub licences granted in the Circuit Court - a 26% decrease on 2008
34 restaurant licences granted - a 51% decrease on 2008
21 hotel licences granted - a 43% decrease on 2008
Civil and family law mattersThere were 341 Supreme Court appeals disposed of in 2009
This compares with 334 appeals disposed of in 2008
Of the 499 appeals lodged, 15% were by appellants in person.
1,317 applications for judicial review in High Court - a 5% decease on 2008
57% of all judicial review applications relate to asylum
1,627 applications for judicial separation - a 19% decrease on 2008 -majority of applications by wives (83% in High Court; 73% in Circuit Court)
3,716 applications for divorce - a 13% decrease on 2008 - majority of applications by husbands in High Court (64%) and by wives in Circuit Court (54%)
55 applications for nullity - a 10% decrease on 2008 - majority (60%) made by husbands
152 appeals to High Court from Circuit Court in family law cases - a 27% increase on 2008
957 applications for custody in District Court - a 27% increase on 2008
- 4,348 applications for access in District Court - a 25% increase on 2008
Criminal matters53 new murder cases in Central Criminal Court - the highest number since 2002
49 new rape cases in Central Criminal Court - the lowest number since 2005
Appeals lodged in the Court of Criminal Appeal continued to increase in 2009. There were 324 appeals lodged, a 6% increase on the 305 appeals lodged in 2008. The majority of appeals (251 or 77%) were against sentence only. There were 39 appeals (12%) against conviction and sentence with 30 appeals (10%) against conviction only
The Court disposed of 229 appeal s, an 18% decrease on the 279 disposed of in 2008. 70% (161) ofappeals related to Circuit Court cases and 14% (31) to Central Criminal Court cases.
320 European Arrest Warrant applications in the High Court - a 40% increase on 2008.
31 accused persons before the Special Criminal Court - the highest number since 2004
1,586 theft and robbery offences dealt with in Circuit Criminal Court - an increase of 28% on 2008
954 drugs offences dealt with in Circuit Criminal Court - an increase of 23% on 2008
17,620 drug offences dealt with in District Court - an increase of 12% on 2008
51 sentences of 10 years or more imposed in Circuit Criminal Court - mostly for drugs offences
235 sentences of between five and ten years imposed in Circuit Criminal Court - more than half for drugs offences
Over 1,000 sentences of between two and five years imposed in Circuit Criminal Court - 38% for theft and robbery offences, 23% for drug offences
333,161(64%) of summary cases disposed of in District Court related to road traffic offences, a decrease of 7% on 2008
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