The Supreme Court of Victoria’s 2022-23 annual report was tabled in Parliament on 30 November 2023.
Some points of interest from across the Court include:
- The Court of Appeal reduced the median time to finalise criminal matters from 9.3 months to 7.1 months, despite a nearly 25 per cent increase in the number of new matters.
- The Criminal Division significantly reduced their pandemic case backlog, with a clearance rate of 148 per cent.
- The Commercial Court experienced a 20 per cent increase in the number of new cases.
- The Common Law Division’s Institutional Liability List recorded the highest number of new cases across all lists.
- The Court’s Probate Office recorded the largest single year-on-year increase in applications with 26,660 received.
- The new SCV Mediation Centre opened in the William Cooper Justice Centre, allowing the Court to resume in-person judicial mediations.
- Funds in Court's Human Rights Advisory Committee was acknowledged with an Office of the Public Advocate Award for its outstanding contribution to improving the lives of, and outcomes for, people with a disability.
The past few years have seen the Court adapt its operations with technological improvements pioneered by necessity now fundamental to the everyday functioning of the Court. While the majority of matters have returned to in-person hearings, more than 2,560 were also livestreamed.
“As the annual report shows, the work of the Court is only increasing which provides us with both challenges and opportunities,” Chief Justice Anne Ferguson said.
“Our goal is to be a modern court that meets the needs of the community as they change over time and many innovations and efficiencies have already been realised.
“The Court is committed to listening and learning from varied experiences to create a welcoming and positive environment.
“We look forward to building on what we have learnt in 2022-23 so we can serve Victorians to the very best of our ability.”