Caseload, Case Disposal and Waiting Time at Different Court Levels

Magistrates' Courts

CASELOAD AND CASE DISPOSAL OF THE MAGISTRATES' COURTS

    Caseload Disposal *
    2016 2017 2018 2016 2017 2018
- Charge Cases 31 440 30 860 30 221 31 554 30 550 29 607
- Hawker Cases 4 988 1 963 1 628 4 988 1 965 1 626
- Departmental & Private Summonses 181 670 179 753 175 738 178 042 179 223 174 693
- Driving-Offence Points Summonses 1 786 2 333 2 240 1 901 2 213 2 251
- Fixed Penalty Summonses (Traffic) 611 606 532 611 617 530
- Fixed Penalty Summonses (Public Cleanliness and Obstruction)^ 112 115 72 113 115 77
- Fixed Penalty Summonses (Smoking Offences) 29 34 24 28 27 26
- Fixed Penalty Summonses (Vehicle Idling) 0 0 0 0 0 0
- Fixed Penalty Summonses (Mandatory Window Inspection) 6 8 13 6 5 16
- Fixed Penalty Summonses (Plastic Shopping Bag) 3 2 0 2 3 0
- Miscellaneous Proceedings 11 213 11 379 11 052 11 378 11 511 10 857
- Departmental Notice 810 677 676 755 748 636
- Fixed Penalty Notice (Traffic) 98 383 107 958 115 045 95 398 106 287 110 020
- Fixed Penalty Notice (Public Cleanliness and Obstruction)^ 2 142 2 455 2 388 2 206 2 407 2 335
- Fixed Penalty Notice (Smoking Offences) 846 823 861 796 872 870
- Fixed Penalty Notice (Vehicle Idling) 0 0 0 0 0 0
- Fixed Penalty Notice (Mandatory Window Inspection) 4 11 122 5 11 79
- Fixed Penalty Recovery Order (Plastic Shopping Bag) 5 0 0 5 0 0
  Total 334 048 338 977 340 612 327 788 336 554 333 623
* Case disposal refers to cases where defendants have been convicted or acquitted after trial or hearing, pre-hearing payments of all penalties and costs, and applications which have been granted, refused, withdrawn or struck out
^ Case types renamed pursuant to the amendment of the title of Cap. 570 from "Fixed Penalty (Public Cleanliness Offences) Ordinance" to "Fixed Penalty (Public Cleanliness and Obstruction) Ordinance" which came into effect on 24 September 2016

AVERAGE WAITING TIME FOR CASES IN THE MAGISTRATES' COURTS

    Average Waiting Time (days)
    Target 2016 2017 2018
Summonses - from plea to date of trial
50 67 65 76
Charge cases except for Juvenile Court - from plea to date of trial
       
- For defendants in custody
 30-45 36 31 47
- For defendants on bail
 45-60 41 40 57
Charge cases for Juvenile Court - from plea to date of trial
       
- For defendants in custody
 30-45 49 -* -*
- For defendants on bail
 45-60 39 48 58
* As there is no charge case for the Juvenile Court where the defendant is remanded in custody, the waiting time is inapplicable
Last Update Date : 27-02-2019