Due to the current shortage of High Court Judges, hearing and trial dates for new cases are expected to be set for 2011 as the schedule for the current Judges on the bench is filled for the rest of the year.

Currently there are 9 Judges of the High Court and that excludes the Chief Justice and the President of the Fiji Court of Appeal.

The Chief Registrar Ana Rokomokoti confirmed that to complete the full complement of Judges to cater for the demands around the various divisions, a total of 16 Judges are required.

Lautoka High Court Judge Justice Sosefo Inoke stated in court earlier this week that the availability of Judge Hours for the hearing of cases is notoriously limited.

Inoke stated that even now, he is fully booked for the whole of 2010 with trials and any new matters ready for hearing in 2010 will have to wait until 2011.

Meanwhile, there are currently 13 Magistrates stationed at courts around the country while a full compliment would require 22 Magistrates to deal with matters in the lower courts.

As announced earlier by the government, further appointments of Judges and Magistrates are expected in the months ahead to complete the requirements within the Judiciary.