Scrapping minor court cases should be considered as part of Tasmania's response to coronavirus, prominent lawyer Greg Barns says.
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The courts have been making adjustments to limit potential transmission of the virus, and extended court closures to help slow its spread remain possible.
That would lead to a big increase in the backlog of cases by when the courts did resume, Mr Barns said.
" ... active consideration has to be given to prosecution withdrawing low level cases, for example, pub drunkenness, what we call street offences ...," the Hobart-based national criminal justice spokesman for the Australian Lawyers Alliance said.
"We need to get creative with how we resolve matters and give consideration to withdrawing (charges relating to) low level offending where there is no chance of going to jail, perhaps issuing the person with a warning notice.
"For example, drug charges simply involving possession, all of those could be disposed of if there were no other offences the person was charged with by way of a warning."
Mr Barns said removing the possession charges alone would account for a "fair share" of cases in the North-West and around the state.
"Each case would have be examined in terms of a person's prior history and whether they've got other offences," he said.
"We're really talking about first time offenders or very low level offences.
"That should be done."
Mr Barns also said many proceedings, particularly when guilty pleas had been entered, could be dealt with by telephone, Skype and so on.
He said the Federal Circuit Court was moving towards doing much of its work online and so on, reducing the need for people to attend court, and that could also be done by state courts.
He said such changes could become a positive ongoing result from the attempts to slow the spread of the virus.
Attorney-General Elise Archer did not offer an opinion on whether minor cases should be dropped.
"The government is working closely with the courts during this rapidly changing environment," she said.
"Though it remains the case that the operation of the courts is a matter for the judiciary, the government is ensuring the courts have the most recent health advice to inform and support their decisions on how to respond to COVID-19."
A Justice Department spokesperson said: "Courts in Tasmania are preparing for a number of scenarios in relation to the potential impact of COVID-19 that will attempt to minimise the effects on access to justice."
"The Supreme Court and the magistrates court are continuing to keep up to date with all developments and recommendations from the director of Public Health."