Retired judges called on to clear backlog of 63,000 cases

After the six months long barrister's strike, and the Covid pandemic, the Ministry of Justice is attempting to cut the backlog by 10,000 cases, by March 2025.

A recruitment campaign for salaried judges has fallen short by 16, each of whom would have been able to sit for 200 days a year, says Lord Burnett.

"That's a big hit in capacity and a significant hit among the more experienced judges who can do the most difficult cases," Lord Burnett stated to the Commons justice committee.

It is thought to be unheard of to have so many retired judges helping to combat shortages. Alternative measures to try and shorten the gap include getting recorders (part-time, fee-paid judges) to work on more cases and train district judges in magistrates' courts to then work in crown courts.

Rape vctims are having to wait 342 days for a suspect to be charged. That is then followed by a further 380 days for the case to be entered into the court system.

Even though the Government has lifted any financial restrictions on the amount of time that courts can sit, Lord Burnett doubts that courts would be able to sit as many days as they "theoretically could this year."

He also mentioned that the judiciary had done everything it could to "enhance judicial capacity."

The Johnson Partnership

Derby Crime Solicitors 

01332 370 473