Northern Ireland Court Service Magistrates Court Bulletin
October to December 2009 (Provisional Figures)

Contents

• Summary
• Figure 1 - Percentage of adults entered and disposed of in the court divisions
• Figure 2 - Waiting times in weeks in adult magistrates’ courts
• Table 1.1 - Scheduled court sitting days & average court sitting times in the magistrates' courts by division & venue
• Table 1.2 - Additional court sitting days & average court sitting times in the magistrates' courts by division & venue
• Table 1.3 - Special court sitting days & average court sitting times in the magistrates' courts by division & venue
• Table 2.1 - Adult criminal defendants received in the magistrates’ courts by division & venue
• Table 2.2 - Adult criminal defendants disposed of in the magistrates’ courts by division & venue
• Table 2.3 - Average waiting times in the adult magistrates' courts by division & venue
• Table 2.4 - Number and type of charges brought for adult defendants disposed of by business area
• Table 2.5 - Outcome of adult defendants disposed of by business area
• Table 3.1 - Youth defendants received in the magistrates’ courts by division & venue
• Table 3.2 - Youth defendants disposed of in the magistrates’ courts by division & venue
• Table 3.3 - Average waiting times in the youth magistrates’ courts by division & venue
• Table 3.4 - Number and type of charges brought for youth defendants disposed of by business area
• Table 3.5 - Outcome of youth defendants disposed of by business area
• Table 4.1 - Civil applications received in the magistrates’ courts by division & venue
• Table 4.2 - Civil applications disposed of in the magistrates’ courts by division & venue
• Table 4.3 - Average waiting times in the civil magistrates’ courts by division & venue
• Table 4.4 - Outcome of applications under the Family Homes & Domestic Violence Order in the magistrates’ court in Northern Ireland

The roll out of the new court operations system called the Integrated Court Operations System (ICOS) has been completed throughout the divisions. Caution should be taken when comparing figures with previous quarters. For further advice on the differences between the current figures and previous quarters, please contact the NICtS. Figures are run from an administrative database and may change due to late returns and further validations.

Summary

During Oct - Dec 2009:

• There were 1,132 scheduled magistrates’ sittings of which:

  Criminal	753
  Youth	134
  Family	245

• There were 67 additional magistrates’ sittings of which:

  Criminal	62
  Youth	2
  Family	3

• There were 54 special magistrates’ sittings of which:

  Criminal

  54

• 14,221 new adult criminal defendants were received in court and 13,795 adult defendants were disposed of during the period. (Figure 1)
• The majority of prosecutions disposed in the adult court were brought by the police/PPS.

Figure 1: Percentage of adults entered and disposed of in the court divisions

• The volume of adult business was highest in the Division of Belfast.
• The average waiting time in the adult criminal court from first hearing to disposal was 6 weeks. (Figure 2)
• 767 new defendants were entered in the youth court and 794 youth defendants were disposed of in the youth court.
• The average waiting time in the youth court from first hearing to disposal was 11 weeks.
• 1,447 new civil applications were entered and 1,455 civil applications were disposed of.
• The average length of time for a case to progress through the civil court was 9 weeks from date of issue to disposal.

Figure 2: Waiting times in weeks in adult magistrates’ courts (1st hearing to disposal)

Table 1.1: Scheduled court sitting days & average court sitting times in the magistrates' courts by division & venue

Table1.1a: Scheduled court sitting days & average court sitting times in the magistrates' courts for Northern Ireland

Table 1.2: Additional court sitting days & average court sitting times in the magistrates' courts by division & venue

Table 1.2a: Additional court sitting days & average court sitting times in the magistrates' courts for Northern Ireland

A court sitting day is counted as any day where the judiciary sit in court. It does not include time in chambers or days where the judiciary are sitting in chambers.

Table 1.3: Special court sitting days & average court sitting times in the magistrates' courts by division & venue

Table 1.3: Special court sitting days & average court sitting times in the magistrates' courts for Northern Ireland

A court sitting day is counted as any day where the judiciary sit in court. It does not include time in chambers or days where the judiciary are sitting in chambers.

Table 2.1 Adult criminal defendants received in the magistrates' courts by division & venue

Table 2.1 Adult criminal defendants received in the magistrates' courts in Northern Ireland

Table 2.2 Adult criminal defendants disposed of in the magistrates' court by division & venue

Table 2.2 Adult criminal defendants disposed of in the magistrates' court in Northern Ireland

Table 2.3: Average waiting times in the adult magistrates' courts by division & venue

Bench warrants, adjourned generally and deferred sentences excluded

Table 2.3: Average waiting times in the adult magistrates' courts in Northern Ireland

Bench warrants, adjourned generally and deferred sentences excluded

Table 2.4: Number and type of charges brought for adult defendants disposed of by business area

Table 2.5: Outcome of adult defendants disposed of by business area

Table 3.1 Youth defendants received in the magistrates' courts by division & venue

Table 3.1 Youth defendants received in the magistrates' courts in Northern Ireland

Table 3.2 Youth defendants disposed of in the magistrates' courts by division & venue

Table 3.2 Youth defendants disposed of in the magistrates' courts in Northern Ireland

Table 3.3: Average waiting times in the youth magistrates' courts by division & venue

Bench warrants, adjourned generally and deferred sentences excluded

Table 3.3: Average waiting times in the youth magistrates' courts in Northern Ireland

Bench warrants, adjourned generally and deferred sentences excluded

Table 3.4: Number and type of charges brought for youth defendants disposed of by business area

Table 3.5: Outcome of youth defendants disposed of by business area

Table 4.1 Number of civil applications received in the magistrates' court by division & venue

Table 4.1 Number of civil applications received in the magistrates' court in Northern Ireland

Table 4.2 Number of civil applications disposed in the magistrates' court by division & venue

Table 4.2 Number of civil applications disposed in the magistrates' court in Northern Ireland

Table 4.3: Average waiting times in the civil magistrates' courts by division & venue

Table 4.3: Average waiting times in the civil magistrates' courts in Northern Ireland

Table 4.4 Outcome of applications under Family Homes & Domestic Violence Order in the magistrates' court in Northern Ireland