Annual report [1997-98] - Family Court of Australia

The Family Court of Australia – annual report 1997-98
Program performance
Performance standards in respect of the timely delivery of services provided by the Court
are assessed against established standards set out in the Case Management Guidelines and
the time periods prescribed by the Family Law Rules. The Case Management Guidelines
prescribe time standards between each significant step in the progress of a matter along the
case management pathway and the Rules prescribe time standards as to procedural matters
such as service of documents and the allocation of hearing dates. The standards are intended
to establish targets in relation to the timeliness of the provision of services but are also
intended to take into consideration the individual needs of a matter.
Performance against individual standards 1997-98
This Report covers the second full year in which Simplified Procedures and the consequential
amendments to time standards applied. This should be kept in mind when considering
the extent to which performance standards were met this year in comparison to years
prior to the introduction of simplified procedures. Performance against individual standards
reflect the increasing workload in the Court and ensuing resource issues.
Performance indicators relating to time from filing to hearing indicate that the demand for
hearing time is greater than the Court’s capacity to provide hearing dates with the current
level of judicial resources.
Table 3.1: Performance indicators at 30 June 1998
NORTHERN SOUTHERN FCWA
BR DN NC PA SY TV AD CA DG HB ML
Q.1 Dissolutions can be heard within
10 weeks? no no yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes no
Mean waiting time (Weeks): 11.7 10.7 9.5 7.3 5.5 6.0 10.0 6.8 8.5 6.7 7.7 10.8
Q.2 Form 7 Ancillary Applications listed
within 6 weeks? no no no no no yes no yes no no no yes
Mean waiting time (Weeks): 6.3 7.2 7.3 8.0 8.2 5.7 6.3 6.0 6.3 6.2 6.2 5.8
Q.3 Form 8 Interim or Procedural
Applications listed within 4 weeks? no no yes yes yes yes yes yes no no yes no
Mean waiting time (Weeks): 8.3 7.2 4.0 4.0 3.5 3.7 4.0 4.0 4.7 4.3 4.0 4.7
Q.4 Conciliation Conference in Standard
Track Financial Matters available within
12 weeks from Directions Hearing? yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes no yes
Mean waiting time (Weeks): 8.7 5.3 7.0 7.7 5.8 8.0 12.0 6.8 8.3 7.0 14.3 7.8
Q.5 Conciliation Counselling available within
3 weeks from Directions Hearing? no no no yes yes yes no no no yes no yes
Mean waiting time (Weeks): 3.7 4.2 3.7 2.7 2.2 2.3 3.3 6.0 5.3 2.2 6.7 2.8
Q.6 Direct Track Matters heard within
6 mths (26 weeks)? no no no no no no no yes no yes no yes
Average (mean) time from filing (Weeks): 32.3 36.0 32.3 44.0 55.0 26.3 26.7 13.0 44.3 21.0 54.3 13.3
Q.7 Standard Track Child Matters heard
within 10 months (43 weeks)? no no no no no no no no no no no no
Average (mean) time from filing (Weeks): 86.7 52.0 88.7 70.3 47.7 56.5 93.3 76.0 85.0 46.1 92.0 49.3
Q.8 Standard Track Financial Matters heard
within 11 months (48 weeks)? no no no no no no no no yes no no no
Average (mean) time from filing (Weeks): 87.0 52.0 103.7 69.3 63.0 51.5 98.7 74.7 30.0 60.7 99.7 50.0
Q.9 Complex Track Matters heard within
12 months (52 weeks)? no n.a. n.a. yes no n.a. no n.a. n.a. n.a. no yes
Average (mean) time from filing (Weeks): 75.0 50.0 79.0 139.0 104.0 49.3
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