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Source: ONE News
The Act Party is pushing for the government to bring in night court sessions.
The party is frustrated at the length of time it is taking trials to be completed, claiming the whole process should be sped up.
It is citing the trial of Josef Fritzl in Austria which is due to be completed in less than a week, while David Bain's murder retrial is set down for three months. However Fritzl pleaded guilty, whereas Bain denies all charges.
MP David Garrett believes is pointing the finger at criminal lawyers for dragging trials out, saying they are the ones who make money from lengthy trials. He says murder trials used to be wrapped in two or three weeks, and now it seems two months is the norm.
He says holding court sessions after dark would speed the whole process up.
Act hopes that now it is allied with the government the idea may become reality.
The Canterbury District Law Society is lukewarm over the idea of night court sittings.
Vice president Alister Davis says judges already work long hours when you take into account reserved decisions and extra research and such a scheme would increase the burden on them.
