High Court Case Volumes - for the 12 Months Ending 30 June 2012
| New Business | Disposals | Total Active | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jury Trial | 213 | 182 | 192 |
| General Proceedings | 1,743 | 2,106 | 1,948 |
| Judicial Review | 165 | 168 | 85 |
| Originating Applications | 1,026 | 1,033 | 293 |
| Insolvency | 3,300 | 3,453 | 714 |
| Criminal Appeal | 1,107 | 1,221 | 230 |
| Civil Appeal | 332 | 345 | 188 |
Notes:
The way in which High Court civil cases are reported on has changed. The data source used has changed from manual workload returns to the Ministry's electronic Case Management System (CMS). The manual data previously used related only to those cases that were deemed ready to be heard, while the CMS data to be used henceforth relates to all active cases. The difference is substantial, as at any one time a large number of civil cases have been filed but are not yet ready to be heard; those cases were not included in the data used previously. Previously the category 'civil proceedings' included general proceedings, originating applications and defended interlocutory applications. In order to better reflect the civil workload of the High Court, the following civil case types are now reported on separately: general proceedings, judicial review, originating applications and insolvency cases.
The data source used to report on High Court criminal appeals has also changed from manual workload returns to CMS. The number of appeals reported on from CMS is higher than the number previously reported from manual data. This is due to a number of reasons; for instance, multiple appeals being heard together may have been counted as a single appeal in the manual data, but will each be counted separately in the CMS data.
'Substantive hearing' refers to jury trial or defended hearing for the criminal jurisdiction and substantive hearing for the civil jurisdiction.
Definitions
New Business
HC Criminal Jury Trial
New business includes cases committed for trial, cases where a retrial has been directed, severed cases and the difference between cases transferred into and out of the court. It excludes cases reactivated in the court due to the execution or withdrawal of a warrant to arrest.
HC General Proceedings, Judicial Review, Originating Applications, Civil Appeals
New business includes all cases filed and previously diposed cases that have been reactivated by the filing of a new application.
HC Insolvency
New business includes all new bankruptcy cases (creditors' petitions) and company liquidation cases filed, and previously disposed cases that have been reactivated by the filing of a new application.
HC Criminal Appeals
New business includes all appeals filed in the District Court (criminal appeals are filed in the District Court then transferred to the High Court).
Disposals
HC Criminal Jury Trial
The sum of cases disposed, where disposal for a given case was counted at the completion of sentencing, or earlier final outcome. Disposals include cases disposed at sentencing or other final outcome for all jury trial charges, or when all active jury trial charges are joined into another case. Disposals are recorded in the following categories: Not Proceeded with on Indictment, Discharged Section 347, Other Outcome, Found Not Guilty, Convicted and Discharged, Convicted and Sentenced, and Joined. Cases that resulted in a hung jury or mistrial are not included in disposals, as these are not final outcomes.
HC General Proceedings, Judicial Review, Originating Applications, Civil Appeals
The sum of cases disposed , where disposal for a given case was counted at the delivery of final judgment or earlier final outcome.
HC Insolvency
The sum of bankruptcy cases (where a creditor's petition has been filed) and company liquidation cases disposed, where disposal for a given case was counted at the delivery of final judgment or earlier final outcome.
HC Criminal Appeals
The sum of appeals disposed, where disposal of a given appeal was counted at the delivery of final judgment or earlier final outcome.
Total Active Cases
HC Criminal Jury Trial
Active cases are those that are awaiting jury trial or awaiting sentencing or other final outcome.
HC General Proceedings, Judicial Review, Originating Applications, Civil Appeals
The sum of cases that are awaiting defended hearing or awaiting final judgment.
HC Insolvency
The sum of bankruptcy cases (where a creditor's petition has been filed) and company liquidiation cases that are awaiting hearing or awaiting final judgment.
HC Criminal Appeals
The sum of appeals that are awaiting defended hearing or awaiting final judgment in the High Court, plus appeals that have been filed in the District Court but not yet received in the High Court.