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Judge-Alone Trial Protocol Aims To Speed Up Justice

Minister for Courts Minister for Courts Nicole McKee has welcomed the rollout of an updated protocol for judge-alone trials, effective from today (1 August), aimed at further enhancing court timeliness. 'Improving court performance remains a key priority for this Government. We appreciate the judiciary and justice sector's collaboration in refining this important protocol,' Mrs McKee says. First introduced in 2021 and piloted in select courts in 2022, the Judge-Alone Trial (JAT) protocol has been revised with input from judges, lawyers, and justice agencies. From today, it will be implemented across all District Courts. The protocol strengthens case readiness by introducing a registrar-led teleconference between prosecution and defence three weeks before trial. It also allows courts to start earlier to review and prioritize scheduled cases, optimizing judicial time. 'Our goal is fair and timely justice for victims, defendants, witnesses, and whānau, helping communities heal and move on,' Mrs McKee says.