The Backlog Reduction Project

The replacement of the Rules of the Supreme Court 1982 by the Supreme Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2008 on the 1st day of October 2009 initiated reform in civil procedure which is aimed at a more effective and efficient management of all civil cases filed in the Supreme Court.

An integral aspect of the reform process is the identification of backlog cases which had not been determined prior to the commencement of the Civil Procedure Rules. The Backlog Reduction Project started in 2006 with the conduct of Status Hearings on Inventory Lists of the civil cases that were filed in the Court from January 1, 1990 to September 30, 2009, under the Rules of the Supreme Court 1982 the status of which was unknown.

The process was, however, not fully completed. With effect from February 1, 2013, the Chief Justice issued Practice Direction No. 1 of 2013 with a view to re-starting the Backlog Reduction Project on a firm procedural basis. Under the Project the status of these old cases will be determined, and steps taken to have “dead” cases disposed of procedurally and “live” cases put on track for trial or other determination within the process that has come into effect with the introduction of the Civil Procedure Rules.

Since commencement of the Backlog Reduction Project on February 1, 2013, a small Committee has met periodically to monitor and give direction to the process of project implementation.

The relevant Project documents may be viewed on the following links:

  1. Practice Direction No. 1 of 2013
  2. Public Notice Gazetted on March 1, 2013
  3. Backlog Year Inventory Lists: 1990; 1991; 1992; 1993; 1994; 1995; 1996; 1997; 1998; 1999; 2000; 2001; 2002; 2003; 2004; 2005; 2006; 2007; 2008;2009
  4. Forms:   No.1;    No.2;    No.3;    No.4;    No.5
  5. Status Reports: 1990; 1991; 1992; 1993; 1994; 1995; 1996; 1997; 1998; 1999; 2000; 2001; 2002; 2003; 2004; 2005; 2006; 2007; 2008; 2009.