The Office of the Attorney General has acknowledged the receipt of the Civil Rules Review Report from Acting Chief Justice Salesi Temo last month.
The Civil Rules Review Report was prepared by the Civil Division Rules Committee, consisting of judges and magistrates and chaired by His Lordship, Justice Anare Tuilevuka.
The Civil Division Rules Committee was mandated by Acting Chief Justice Salesi Temo to review the existing High Court Rules and Magistrates Court Rules with a focus on better case management.
His concerns stemmed from chronic delays in the civil justice system, which undermine public confidence in the Judiciary.
Reviewing the Civil Court Rules addresses one of the main factors causing delays.
The Civil Rules Review Report highlights the problems in the current High Court and Magistrates Court Rules and suggests solutions based on the collective experiences of the judicial officers.
The suggestions include a reduction in timelines for applications, whether interlocutory or final, and determinations, pre-trial conferences with judicial officers on the first call, and mandatory mediation.
The Office of the Attorney General, through the Director of the Law Reform Commission, will conduct further consultations with stakeholders as well as members of the public before tabling the draft amendments.