Caseload, Case Disposal and Waiting Time at Different Court Levels

District Court

CASELOAD AND CASE DISPOSAL OF THE DISTRICT COURT

Caseload Disposal*
    2016 2017 2018 2016 2017 2018
- Criminal Jurisdiction
  Criminal Cases 1 215 1 156 1 188 1 075 1 050 988
- Civil Jurisdiction
  Civil 6 269 5 815 6 067 4 650 4 893 4 649
  Tax Claim 1 679 1 658 1 831 1 259 1 657 1 517
  Distress for Rent 4 265 3 623 3 424 4 232 3 628 3 344
  Employee's Compensation 2 929 2 939 3 038 2 647 2 804 3 008
  Other civil cases + 6 760 6 515 7 093 5 904 5 799 5 709
  Sub-total 21 902 20 550 21 453 18 692 18 781 18 227
- Family Jurisdiction            
  Matrimonial Causes 16 966 17 006 16 458 12 961 14 782 14 933
  Joint Applications 4 988 6 296 6 540 4 235 4 612 5 388
  Miscellaneous Proceedings 273 266 275 257 242 244
  Adoption Applications 70 66 72 62 62 55
  Sub-total 22 297 23 634 23 345 17 515(1) 19 698(1) 20 620(1)
  Total (Civil) 44 199 44 184 44 798 36 207 38 479 38 847
  Total 45 414 45 340 45 986 37 282 39 529 39 835
               
- Masters Chambers            
  Interlocutory hearings** 7 976 7 502 7 683 6 491 6 500 6 634
- Taxation bills            
  Divorce 1 011 1 013 941 1 209 905 870
  Others 459 466 379 173 142 320
  Sub-total 1 470 1 479 1 320 1 382(2) 1 047(2) 1 190(2)
  Total 9 446 8 981 9 003 7 873 7 547 7 824
* Case disposal refers to those where defendants have been convicted or acquitted and those where claims have been successfully made or dismissed
+ Other civil cases include Miscellaneous Proceedings, Stamp Duty (Ordinance) Appeals, Equal Opportunities Actions, Personal Injuries Cases, Occupational Deafness (Compensation) Appeals, Pneumoconiosis (Compensation) Appeals, Estate Agents Appeals and Stop Notice Cases (a new case type created to capture stop notice cases with effect from 3 September 2018)
** The caseload figure represents the number of interlocutory applications listed with hearings, and the disposal figure represents the number of the interlocutory applications heard in the reporting period
  Note (1) : Case disposal refers to Decree Absolute granted and Adoption Orders made
  Note (2) : Case disposal refers to taxation bills processed

AVERAGE WAITING TIME FOR CASES IN THE DISTRICT COURT

    Average Waiting Time (days)
    Target 2016 2017 2018
Criminal - from first appearance of defendants in District Court to hearing
100 118 152 187
Civil Fixture List - from date of listing to hearing 120 99 102 95
Civil Running List - from not-to-be-warned date to hearing 30 15 25 16
Dissolution of marriage - from setting down of a case to hearing
       
- Special Procedure List
35 34 34 35
- Defended List (all hearings)
110 65 85 111
- Financial applications - from setting down of a case to hearing
110-140 86 95 90
Last Update Date : 27-02-2019