STATISTICAL NOTICE
Customer Exit Survey
2009

Survey results

Respondents

Court venue

Court staff

Accessibility

Information

Complaints

Legal Services Commission

Overall service satisfaction

SECTION 1 – REASONS FOR ATTENDING COURT

Table 1: What role do you have as a court user today?

Frequency Percent
Applicant/Claimant/Plaintiff 302 13.5
Defendant/Respondent 506 22.6
PSNI 196 8.8
DPP/PPS 14 .6
Member of the legal profession/representative 385 17.2
Prosecution agency 17 .8
Witness 116 5.2
Victim 38 1.7
Court Agent 51 2.3
Juror/Jury Panel 33 1.5
Family/friend 408 18.2
Media/Journalist 19 .8
Member of public 19 .8
Other 132 5.9
Don’t know/refusal/missing 1 .0
Total 2237 100.0

Table 2: Are you here today on…

Frequency Percent
Criminal Business 1324 58.3
Civil Business 354 15.6
Family Business 485 21.3
Coroners Business 8 .4
Other 92 4.1
Don’t know/refusal/missing 9 .4
Total 2272 100.0

NB: Respondent may have been in court in more than one business type.

Table 3: Did you attend court today?

Frequency Percent
Yes 1574 70.4
No 657 29.4
Don’t know/refusal/missing 6 .3
Total 2237 100.0

Table 4: Length of time between arrival and being called

Frequency Percent
30 minutes or less 322 29.1
31 minutes - 1 hour 303 27.5
Between 1 and 2 hours 345 31.3
2 hours or more 133 12.1
Total 1103 100.0

Table 5: How satisfied or dissatisfied were you with the NICtS that the case you were involved in went ahead when you were told it would?

Frequency Percent
Very Satisfied 157 7.0
Fairly Satisfied 462 20.7
Fairly Dissatisfied 131 5.9
Very Dissatisfied 162 7.2
Not Applicable 25 1.1
Don’t know/refusal/missing 1300 58.1
Total 2237 100.0

Table 6: How satisfied or dissatisfied were you with the NICtS with the time it has taken for the case you were involved in to reach this stage?

Frequency Percent
Very Satisfied 229 10.2
Fairly Satisfied 466 20.8
Fairly Dissatisfied 126 5.6
Very Dissatisfied 97 4.3
Don’t know/refusal/missing 1296 57.9
Not Applicable 23 1.0
Total 2237 100.0

Table 7: Do the court sitting times meet your needs?

Frequency Percent
Yes 1098 49.1
No 112 5.0
Don’t know/refusal/missing 1027 45.9
Total 2237 100.0

Table 8: Do the office opening hours meet your needs?

Frequency Percent
Yes 2104 94.1
No 72 3.2
Don’t know/refusal/missing 61 2.7
Total 2237 100.0

SECTION 2 – THE VENUE

Table 9: How satisfied are you with the waiting area

Frequency Percent
Very Satisfied 554 24.8
Fairly Satisfied 1048 46.8
Fairly Dissatisfied 316 14.1
Very Dissatisfied 255 11.4
Not Applicable 59 2.6
Don’t know/refusal/missing 5 .2
Total 2237 100.0

Table 10: How satisfied are you with the facilities for children?

Frequency Percent
Very Satisfied 101 4.5
Fairly Satisfied 268 12.0
Fairly Dissatisfied 183 8.2
Very Dissatisfied 298 13.3
Not Applicable 1226 54.8
Don’t know/refusal/missing 161 7.2
Total 2237 100.0

Table 11: How satisfied are you that signs for locations to courtrooms were clearly visible?

Frequency Percent
Very Satisfied 859 38.4
Fairly Satisfied 1110 49.6
Fairly Dissatisfied 147 6.6
Very Dissatisfied 67 3.0
Not Applicable 41 1.8
Don’t know/refusal/missing 13 .6
Total 2237 100.0

Table 12: How satisfied are you that signs for locations to the offices were clearly visible?

Frequency Percent
Very Satisfied 782 35.0
Fairly Satisfied 1060 47.4
Fairly Dissatisfied 193 8.6
Very Dissatisfied 77 3.4
Not Applicable 96 4.3
Don’t know/refusal/missing 29 1.3
Total 2237 100.0

Table 13: How satisfied are you that signs for locations to facilities were clearly visible?

Frequency Percent
Very Satisfied 827 37.0
Fairly Satisfied 1107 49.5
Fairly Dissatisfied 193 8.6
Very Dissatisfied 70 3.1
Not Applicable 28 1.3
Don’t know/refusal/missing 12 .5
Total 2237 100.0

Table 14: How satisfied are you with the consultation rooms?

Frequency Percent
Very Satisfied 400 17.9
Fairly Satisfied 646 28.9
Fairly Dissatisfied 178 8.0
Very Dissatisfied 110 4.9
Not Applicable 809 36.2
Don’t know/refusal/missing 94 4.2
Total 2237 100.0

Table 15: How satisfied are you with the solicitors’ rooms?

Frequency Percent
Very Satisfied 96 4.3
Fairly Satisfied 139 6.2
Fairly Dissatisfied 69 3.1
Very Dissatisfied 31 1.4
Don’t know/refusal/missing 1902 85.0
Total 2237 100.0

Table 16: How satisfied are you with the overall facilities in the court venue?

Frequency Percent
Very Satisfied 566 25.3
Fairly Satisfied 1300 58.1
Fairly Dissatisfied 278 12.4
Very Dissatisfied 77 3.4
Don’t know/refusal/missing 16 .7
Total 2237 100.0

Table 17: Facilities respondents were dissatisfied with…

Frequency Percent
The waiting area 483 21.6
Facilities for children 188 8.4
Signs for location to courtrooms 54 2.4
Signs for location to offices 45 2.0
Signs for location to facilities 45 2.0
The consultation rooms 162 7.2
The solicitor's rooms 30 1.3
Other facilities 64 2.9
Don’t know/refusal/missing 1161 51.9
Total 2237 100.0

SECTION 3 - STAFF

Table 18: How helpful are the Court Service Staff?

Frequency Percent
Very helpful 1601 71.6
Fairly helpful 516 23.1
Not very helpful 45 2.0
Not at all helpful 14 .6
Don’t know/refusal/missing 61 2.7
Total 2237 100.0

Table 19: How courteous are the Court Service Staff?

Frequency Percent
Very courteous 1642 73.4
Fairly courteous 499 22.3
Not very courteous 39 1.7
Not at all courteous 5 .2
Don’t know/refusal/missing 52 2.3
Total 2237 100.0

Table 20: How knowledgeable are the Court Service Staff?

Frequency Percent
Very knowledgeable 1477 66.0
Fairly knowledgeable 599 26.8
Not very knowledgeable 45 2.0
Not at all knowledgeable 8 .4
Don’t know/refusal/missing 108 4.8
Total 2237 100.0

Table 21: Thinking about your experience with court staff today ... How satisfied were you with the ability of staff to respond and deal with your query there and then?

Frequency Percent
Very Satisfied 1206 53.9
Fairly Satisfied 674 30.1
Fairly Dissatisfied 47 2.1
Very Dissatisfied 20 .9
Not Applicable 241 10.8
Don’t know/refusal/missing 49 2.2
Total 2237 100.0

Table 22: Do you believe that the Court Service staff treated you fairly today?

Frequency Percent
Yes 2146 95.9
No 50 2.2
Don’t know/refusal/missing 41 1.8
Total 2237 100.0

SECTION 4 - ACCESSIBILITY

Table 23: How satisfied are you that the Court Service provides adequate accessibility for people with physical difficulties?

Frequency Percent
Very Satisfied 518 23.2
Fairly Satisfied 928 41.5
Fairly Dissatisfied 324 14.5
Very Dissatisfied 155 6.9
Don’t know/refusal/missing 312 13.9
Total 2237 100.0

Table 24: How satisfied are you that the Court Service provides adequate accessibility for people with learning difficulties?

Frequency Percent
Very Satisfied 278 12.4
Fairly Satisfied 849 38.0
Fairly Dissatisfied 232 10.4
Very Dissatisfied 61 2.7
Don’t know/refusal/missing 817 36.5
Total 2237 100.0

Table 25: How satisfied are you that the Court Service provides adequate accessibility for people with visual or hearing difficulties?

Frequency Percent
Very Satisfied 317 14.2
Fairly Satisfied 902 40.3
Fairly Dissatisfied 268 12.0
Very Dissatisfied 80 3.6
Don’t know/refusal/missing 670 30.0
Total 2237 100.0

Table 26: How satisfied are you that the Court Service caters for people for whom English is not their first language?

Frequency Percent
Very Satisfied 508 22.7
Fairly Satisfied 891 39.8
Fairly Dissatisfied 140 6.3
Very Dissatisfied 37 1.7
Don’t know/refusal/missing 661 29.5
Total 2237 100.0

Table 27: I’d now like to ask a couple of questions about language in the courtroom. You said earlier that you attended court today. How much of the hearing did you follow/understand?

Frequency Percent
I understood everything 980 43.8
I understood most of what happened 369 16.5
I understood some of what happened 148 6.6
I understood none of what happened? 49 2.2
Don’t know/refusal/missing 691 30.9
Total 2237 100.0

Table 28: Why did you not understand some/none of what happened?

Frequency Percent
Could not hear the judiciary 44 13.3
Could not hear the lawyers 36 10.9
Could not hear the witnesses 20 6.0
Could not hear what was being said - generally 81 24.5
Was not listening 3 0.9
The pace of court was too fast 38 11.5
Could not understand the legal jargon 101 30.5
Other 7 2.1
Don’t know/refusal/missing 1 0.3
Total 331 100.0

Base = 197 respondents

Table 29: Which of these have you done in the last twelve months?

Frequency Percent
Paid a fine 287 9.0
Paid a fixed penalty 172 5.4
Made a domestic payment/maintenance payment 51 1.6
Taken someone to the small claims court 111 3.5
Searched a bankruptcy record 127 4.0
Searched a Queen s Bench & Chancery record 92 2.9
Searched a Probate record 94 3.0
Searched a Decree Absolute record 86 2.7
County Court civil business 237 7.5
Copy orders 199 6.3
Public Court lists 275 8.7
Media lists 33 1.0
None of these 1385 43.6
Don’t know/refusal/missing 24 0.8
Total 3173 100.0

Base = 2237 respondents

Table 30: And did you pay the fine ...

Frequency Percent
At a local court venue or another court office 231 80.5
Through the Customer Service Centre? 49 17.1
Don’t know/refusal/missing 7 2.4
Total 287 100.0

Table 31: How satisfied were you with the Customer Service Centre?

Frequency Percent
Very Satisfied 23 46.9
Fairly Satisfied 24 49.0
Fairly Dissatisfied 1 2.0
Don’t know/refusal/missing 1 2.0
Total 49 100.0

Table 32: And did you lodge the small claims application...

Frequency Percent
Online 31 27.9
At a local court venue 33 29.7
Through the Civil Processing Centre? 46 41.4
Don’t know/refusal/missing 1 0.9
Total 111 100.0

Table 33: How satisfied were you with the online facility?

Frequency Percent
Very Satisfied 24 77.4
Fairly Satisfied 7 22.6
Total 31 100.0

Table 34: How satisfied were you with the Civil Processing Centre?

Frequency Percent
Very Satisfied 29 63.0
Fairly Satisfied 15 32.6
Fairly Dissatisfied 2 4.3
Total 46 100.0

Table 35: And did you search for a court record ...

Frequency Percent
Online 125 67.2
At the High Court? 58 31.2
Don’t know/refusal/missing 3 1.6
Total 186 100.0

Table 36: How satisfied were you with the Online facility?

Frequency Percent
Very Satisfied 87 69.6
Fairly Satisfied 32 25.6
Fairly Dissatisfied 4 3.2
Very Dissatisfied 1 0.8
Don’t know/refusal/missing 1 0.8
Total 125 100.0

Table 37: How satisfied were you with the Civil Processing Centre?

Frequency Percent
Very Satisfied 48 64.9
Fairly Satisfied 24 32.4
Fairly Dissatisfied 1 1.4
Very Dissatisfied 1 1.4
Total 74 100.0

Table 38: County court civil business - And did you lodge your documents at ...

Frequency Percent
A Local Court venue 145 61.2
Through the Civil Processing Centre? 74 31.2
Don’t know/refusal/missing 18 7.6
Total 237 100.0

SECTION 5 - INFORMATION

Table 38: Did you have enough information before you came to court today?

Frequency Percent
Yes 2062 92.2
No 159 7.1
Don’t know/refusal/missing 16 .7
Total 2237 100.0

Table 39: Have you used any of the following methods to find out more information about your visit to court today?

Frequency Percent
Plasma screens in the court venue (Dungannon only) 77 3.1
Court Service Posters 91 3.7
Court Service Leaflets 143 5.8
Written communication to the Court Service 95 3.9
Telephone call to the Court Service 192 7.8
Court Service Website 271 11.0
Other 106 4.3
None 1474 59.9
Don’t know/refusal/missing 13 0.5
Total 2462 100.0

Base = 2237 respondents

Table 40: Was there a reason why you did not find out more information before you came to court today?

Frequency Percent
Did not need to know 643 28.5
Could not get access to information 13 .6
Did not know that information was available 42 1.9
None of these information methods had the information that I required 30 1.3
Information was known already 735 32.6
Other 30 1.3
Don’t know/refusal/missing 764 33.9
Total 2257 100.0

Base = 2237 respondents

Table 41: You said that you have read the court service leaflets.

Frequency Percent
The court/tribunal 56 37.6
CAB (Citizens Advice Bureau) 9 6.0
Internet 1 .7
Solicitor 41 27.5
Other government department 2 1.3
Local Authority 1 0.7
Friend/Family 4 2.7
Court Office 23 15.4
Other 6 4.0
Court waiting room 1 0.7
PSNI 2 1.3
Sent in post 1 0.7
Waiting area 2 1.3
Total 149 100.0

Base = 143 respondents

Table 42: How easy were the leaflets to understand?

Frequency Percent
Very easy 81 56.6
Fairly easy 59 41.3
Not very easy 3 2.1
Total 143 100.0

Table 43: How useful were the leaflets?

Frequency Percent
Very useful 72 50.3
Fairly useful 68 47.6
Not very useful 2 1.4
Not at all useful 1 .7
Total 143 100.0

Table 44: You mentioned that you contacted the court service before you came today. How useful was the information you received?

Frequency Percent
Very useful 169 69.3
Fairly useful 66 27.0
Not very useful 8 3.3
Not at all useful 1 .4
Total 244 100.0

Table 45: You mentioned that you wrote to the court service before your visit today. How long did the reply take?

Frequency Percent
Less than 1 week 38 40.0
From 1 week - less than 2 weeks 25 26.3
From 2 weeks - less than 3 weeks 10 10.5
3 weeks or more 13 13.7
No reply received 6 6.3
Don’t know/refusal/missing 3 3.2
Total 95 100.0

Table 46: You said that you had used the Court Service website. How useful was the information on the website?

Frequency Percent
Very useful 191 70.5
Fairly useful 68 25.1
Not very useful 11 4.1
Not at all useful 1 .4
Total 271 100.0

SECTION 6 - COMPLAINTS

Table 47: Are you aware of the Northern Ireland Court Service complaints system?

Frequency Percent
Yes 1382 61.8
No 844 37.7
Don’t know/refusal/missing 11 0.5
Total 2237 100.0

Table 48: How did you hear about the Northern Ireland Court Service complaints system?

Frequency Percent
Advertised in court venue - plasma screen notice board etc. 308 19.3
Member of the Northern Ireland Court Service 39 2.4
The police 105 6.6
The legal profession 312 19.5
Leaflet 360 22.6
Word of mouth 244 15.3
Most organisations have a complaints system 156 9.8
Other 70 4.4
Don’t know/refusal/missing 2 0.1
Total 1596 100.0

Base = 1382 respondents

Table 49: Have you ever complained about the service provided by the Northern Ireland Court Service?

Frequency Percent
Yes 42 1.9
No 2183 97.6
Don’t know/refusal/missing 12 0.5
Total 2237 100.0

Table 50: Please tell us how satisfied you were with the procedure used to handle your complaint.

Frequency Percent
Very Satisfied 10 23.8
Fairly Satisfied 20 47.6
Fairly Dissatisfied 7 16.7
Very Dissatisfied 4 9.5
Don’t know/refusal/missing 1 2.4
Total 42 100.0

SECTION 7 – LEGAL SERVICES COMMISSION

Table 51: Have you applied for Legal Aid in relation to your attendance at court today or within the last 2 years?

Frequency Percent
Yes 729 61.7
No 446 37.7
Don’t know/refusal/missing 7 0.6
Total 1182 100.0

Table 52: Could you please tell me the reason you did not apply for Legal Aid?

Frequency Percent
I did not know how to apply 42 9.4
I was not aware of Legal Aid 22 4.9
I was reluctant to apply (i.e. social stigma) 12 2.7
I believed I (or my client) would not be eligible for Legal 224 50.2
Other 139 31.2
Don’t know/refusal/missing 7 1.6
Total 446 100.0

Table 53: What was the outcome of your/your client’s Legal Aid application?

Frequency Percent
Granted - no contribution to pay 563 77.3
Granted - contribution to pay 58 8.0
Refused 22 3.0
Outcome not yet known 77 10.6
Other - please specify 8 1.1
Don’t know/refusal/missing 1 0.1
Total 729 100.0

Table 54: Did you have any contact with Legal Services Commission and its staff?

Frequency Percent
Yes 238 32.6
No 491 67.4
Total 729 100.0

Table 55: In your experience of dealing with the legal aid process could you please rate the following ... How easy was the initial process (i.e. contact with your solicitor, completion of application forms, contact with the commission - if any)?

Frequency Percent
Very easy 75 31.5
Fairly easy 95 39.9
Not very easy 50 21.0
Not at all easy 15 6.3
Don’t know/refusal/missing 3 1.3
Total 238 100.0

Table 56: What was the timescale of the process from your initial contact with your solicitor (or client) up until today?

Frequency Percent
Up to one month 92 38.7
More than one month - six months 90 37.8
More than six months - twelve months 31 13.0
More than one year - two years 9 3.8
More than two years - five years 7 2.9
Don’t know/refusal/missing 9 3.8
Total 238 100.0

SECTION 8 – COMMISSION’S STAFF

Table 57: How helpful were the Commission’s staff

Frequency Percent
Very helpful 89 37.4
Fairly helpful 108 45.4
Not very helpful 33 13.9
or not at all helpful? 6 2.5
Don’t know/refusal/missing 2 .8
Total 238 100.0

Table 58: How courteous were the Commission’s staff

Frequency Percent
Very courteous 113 47.5
Fairly courteous 108 45.4
Not very courteous 12 5.0
or not at all courteous? 4 1.7
Don’t know/refusal/missing 1 .4
Total 238 100.0

Table 59: Did the Commission staff member follow-up and resolve your query?

Frequency Percent
Yes 190 79.8
No 42 17.6
Don’t know/refusal/missing 6 2.5
Total 238 100.0

Table 60: Have you ever formally complained about the service provided by the Commission?

Frequency Percent
Yes 23 9.7
No 215 90.3
Total 238 100.0

Table 61: Please tell us how satisfied you were with the procedure used to handle your formal complaint.

Frequency Percent
Very satisfied 8 34.8
Fairly satisfied 3 13.0
Fairly dissatisfied 6 26.1
Very dissatisfied 6 26.1
Total 23 100.0

Table 62: Why were you dissatisfied with the Commission s complaints procedure...

Frequency Percent
Procedure too complicated 1 7.1
Not kept updated on progress of complaint 3 21.4
The time taken to sort out the complaint 3 21.4
Other reason 7 50.0
Total 14 100.0

Base = 12

Table 63: Do you have any comments on how the Commission could improve their service...

Frequency Percent
Helpline 49 19.9
Interactive Website 72 29.3
Information leaflet 19 7.7
Other 104 42.3
Don’t know/refusal/missing 2 0.8
Total 246 100.0

Base = 221

SECTION 9 – OVERALL SERVICE

Table 64: How confident do you feel about the contribution the court service makes to the fairness of the Criminal Justice System?

Frequency Percent
Very confident 578 25.8
Fairly confident 1302 58.2
Not very confident 194 8.7
Not at all confident 53 2.4
Don’t know/refusal/missing 110 4.9
Total 2237 100.0

Table 65: How satisfied are you with the overall service provided (delivered) by the Northern Ireland Court Service?

Frequency Percent
Very Satisfied 726 32.5
Fairly Satisfied 1311 58.6
Fairly Dissatisfied 125 5.6
Very Dissatisfied 36 1.6
Don’t know/refusal/missing 39 1.7
Total 2237 100.0

SECTION 10 – SECTION 75 (EQUALITY) STATISTICS

Table 66: Gender

Frequency Percent
Male 1351 60.4
Female 873 39.0
Refusal/missing 13 .6
Total 2237 100.0

Table 67: Marital Status

Frequency Percent
Single that is never married 1052 47.0
Married and living with husband/wife 822 36.7
A civil partner in a legally recognised Civil Partnership 34 1.5
Married and separated from husband/wife 154 6.9
Divorced 134 6.0
Widowed 23 1.0
Refusal/missing 18 .8
Total 2237 100.0

Table 68: Age

Frequency Percent
under 17 years 11 .5
17-25 years 476 21.3
26-35 years 618 27.6
36-45 years 591 26.4
46-55 years 326 14.6
56-65 years 153 6.8
over 65 36 1.6
Refusal/missing 26 1.2
Total 2237 100.0

Table 69: Do you have any children who are dependant on you?

Frequency Percent
Yes 1065 47.6
No 1152 51.5
Refusal/missing 20 .9
Total 2237 100.0

Table 69: Do you consider that you meet this definition of disability?

The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 defines a disabled person as someone who has
‘a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long term adverse effect on his/her ability to carry out normal day to day activities.

Frequency Percent
Yes 175 7.8
No 2043 91.3
Refusal/missing 19 .8
Total 2237 100.0

Table 70: Are there any adults living with you who are sick, disabled or elderly whom you look after or give special help to? (e.g. a sick, disabled, or elderly relative, wife, husband, partner of friend?)

Frequency Percent
Yes 161 7.2
No 2061 92.1
Refusal/missing 15 .7
Total 2237 100.0

Table 71: Ethnic Group

Frequency Percent
White 2202 98.4
Chinese 3 .1
Irish Traveller 2 .1
Indian 2 .1
Bangladeshi 6 .3
Other Asian 1 .0
Black - African 4 .2
Mixed ethnic group 2 .1
Other 3 .1
Refusal/missing 12 .5
Total 2237 100.0

Table 72: Religion (even if not currently practising)

Frequency Percent
Catholic 1061 47.4
Presbyterian 361 16.1
Church of Ireland 269 12.0
Methodist 42 1.9
Baptist 13 .6
Free Presbyterian 19 .8
Brethren 5 .2
Protestant - not specified 216 9.7
Other Christian 33 1.5
Buddhist 2 .1
Jewish 1 .0
Muslim 4 .2
Any other religion please describe 18 .8
No religion 149 6.7
Refusal/missing 44 2.0
Total 2237 100.0

Other religions described included:

Table 73: Do you consider that you are actively practising your religion?

Frequency Percent
Yes 1045 46.7
No 1010 45.1
Refusal/missing 182 8.1
Total 2237 100.0