Victoria’s Supreme Court too full as new site urged
It’s more than a century old, but there are now so many judges in Victoria’s Supreme Court that makeshift chambers have been built, while crime victims’ families are confronted by accused in hallways as the old site is under increased pressure.
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Victoria’s Supreme Court is at capacity as the grand 19th-century building struggles to cope with a 21st century caseload.
Makeshift chambers have had to be built in the 135-year-old building to accommodate the increasing number of judges appointed to the court.
A section of the court formerly used as reception, common rooms and offices has now been converted to secure judges’ quarters.
There is now concern about how to accommodate any additional judicial appointments.
When the iconic building was completed in 1884 it housed just five judges.
Today the court is made up of 45 judges, as well as a further 18 reserve and associate judges and eight judicial registrars.
The growing number of judges to keep up with the increased caseload of the court is placing unprecedented pressure on space.
Extensive renovation work has already been carried out on the building.
Former chief justice Marilyn Warren strongly advocated for a new Supreme Court complex.
She argued the current building could not cope with security requirements for terrorism trials, left crime victims’ families to confront accused people in hallways and did not have adequate capacity for complex civil matters.
She said it was “very difficult to operate in a modern, 21st-century way within a 19th-century building”.
The work of the court is now spread across seven buildings.
The former chief justice, in her farewell speech in 2017, said she regretted being unable to achieve a new Supreme Court building in her 14 years in the top job.
“However, the Court will soon finalise a concept plan which, hopefully, will enable the Government to understand and embrace the chance to construct a beautiful, functional court building for the highest court of the State. I will watch with curiosity and wonder,” she said at the time.
Conceptual design work was carried out for the Old Mint building site, while consideration was also given to the construction of a new building at the back of the main Supreme Court building, behind and above the Old High Court and the Court of Appeal buildings.
A strategic plan published by Court Services Victoria in 2017 found the court’s infrastructure was “no longer fit-for-purpose with insufficient and inadequate facilities resulting in significant issues including safety and security, demand, functionality, condition, compliance and risk of failure.”
“Victorian courts have not kept pace with today’s design, technology and security requirements,” it found.
“Buildings and systems are inflexible and outmoded and court jurisdictions are hampered in their ability to lead the level of transformation considered necessary to support ongoing improvements in service delivery.
“As the population of Victoria increases, so too will the demand for court capacity.”
MORE: HISTORY OF THE SUPREME COURT
SAFE ROOM BUILT IN SUPREME COURT
Court spokeswoman Sarah Dolan said challenges, including the availability and suitability of courtrooms, space for judges, court staff, victims, witnesses, jurors, media and the legal profession, still confronted the court.
“To address these, we will continue to improve courtrooms, chambers, mediation and corporate service spaces. For example, some courtrooms can be adapted to hear more criminal and civil jury trials,” Ms Dolan said.
“The Court will also continue to look at options to consider how best to ensure that the capacity, functionality and accessibility of the Supreme Court meets the needs of the future.”