A budget estimates committee heard on Tuesday that no civil cases were backed up, but the criminal courts were struggling to cope with the large amount of criminal matters.

Attorney-General Vanessa Goodwin said the backlog was due to increased lodgements for bail, complex cases taking a lot of time and the use of DNA evidence. 

Dr Goodwin said courts were sitting for longer hours to reduce the backlog.

Labor quizzed Dr Goodwin on whether there should be additional judges appointed.

She said there had been calls to increase the state’s judges to seven since 1998, but it would put pressure on the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. 

She said a replacement for the now retired Justice Porter would be made soon, but there were no plans to put on an extra judge.