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The Government has agreed to establish a Drug Court pilot in Auckland to deal with offenders with severe alcohol and drug dependencies, Justice Minister Simon Power and Courts Minister Georgina te Heuheu announced today.

The Law Commission’s review of the Misuse of Drugs Act recommended the Government consider establishing a Drug Court pilot subject to a full analysis of the likely cost-effectiveness and availability of funding.

Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson, Justice Minister Simon Power and Courts Minister Georgina Te Heuheu have all expressed their shock and sorrow at the death of Chief Judge Russell Johnson, who led the District Court for the last six years.

The Acting Minister for Courts, Simon Power, today welcomed the passing of legislation that strengthens the enforcement of fines, reparation, and civil debt.

The omnibus Courts and Criminal Matters Bill amends 20 statutes and is the most comprehensive reform of court-ordered monetary penalties in more than a decade.

“The bill will ensure that reparation owed to victims is paid as a priority and that offenders who refuse to pay it are held to account,” Mr Power said.

Significant measures in the bill include:

Courts Minister Georgina te Heuheu and Justice Minister Simon Power today welcomed improvements made by a public awareness programme to increase juror attendance rates.

The programme features ordinary New Zealanders, committed to making a contribution to their community by attending jury service, in a series of posters which are currently being run in community and mainstream papers, as well as on Stuff and TradeMe as website message boards.

Government makes jury duty rules more flexible

The Government has made available $2 million during the 2010/11 year for the rollout of audio visual links for court proceedings.

Eight new Community Magistrates have been appointed for the Auckland region, Justice Minister Simon Power and Courts Minister Georgina te Heuheu announced today. 

The High Court in Auckland is to introduce a pilot scheme that will see private mediators undertake court-ordered mediation in some civil disputes, Justice Minister Simon Power and Courts Minister