THE Law Society of Tasmania has urged the government to announce the successful candidates for the long-vacant magistrates positions in the North and North-West, after it revealed the government consulted it earlier this month.
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Veteran magistrates Tim Hill and Don Jones retired from the bench in August.
President Matthew Verney said yesterday that the law society had no objection to the two names and called on the government to announce the new magistrates to prevent court delays from deteriorating.
This week, Launceston hearing dates were allocated for late April 2015, while in Devonport hearings were set for May.
"If they have made their choices, which is my understanding that they have, then I can't see any reason for there being any further delay for the announcement," Mr Verney said.
Attorney-General Vanessa Goodwin said yesterday that the process to appoint the new magistrates was "well under way".
Launceston lawyer Evan Hughes, a senior associate with Rae and Partners, blasted the situation as "dysfunctional" and said the increasing delays were causing everyone to become frustrated.
He said the lack of two magistrates in Northern Tasmania had increased pressure on lawyers, court users, registry staff and existing magistrates, who were doing the best job they could with the resources they had.
Mr Hughes said he understood there had been strong, broad interest in the vacancies and he could not see why, with the depth of legal talent and large number of applicants, the positions could not be quickly filled.
He represented two in-custody clients in Devonport on Wednesday, who were given short notice hearing dates of two and four weeks away.
Mr Hughes said the magistrate commented that the allocation of the hearing dates might be detrimental to existing cases in the list, with the in-custody defendants taking priority.
"A properly functioning court is a core requirement of government," he said.