Decade-long court delays erode trust in Fiji’s justice system: Report

Some civil court cases in Fiji have been pending for over a decade, with severe delays destroying public confidence in the justice system and leaving disputes unresolved for years.

The revelation comes from the Final Report on Fiji's Law and Justice Sector, which identifies judicial inefficiency as one of the most critical problems facing the country's courts.

"Severe delays in civil litigation, some cases pending for over a decade, have profoundly affected public perception," the report states.

The delays mean Fijians involved in property disputes, contract disagreements, or family matters must wait years for resolution, often at significant personal and financial cost.

The 1994 Beattie Commission identified the same problems three decades ago, attributing delays to ineffective time standards, backlogged registries and unaccountable procedural adjournments.

Fast-track reforms

New disposal benchmarks will be introduced, with a 90-day target for small claims and traffic cases starting late 2026.

Digital case management systems will be rolled out in Magistrate Courts in Suva, Lautoka and Labasa by early 2027, allowing real-time tracking of case progress.

Artificial intelligence transcription technology will be deployed in High Court criminal divisions by mid-2027 to speed up proceedings.

Virtual hearings for maritime regions will be launched by early 2028, reducing the need for costly travel to urban centres.

The Judiciary and Ministry of Justice are jointly leading the reforms, with performance dashboards to monitor progress publicly.

Feedback: kaneta.naimatau@fijisun.com.fj