Justice Centre | 19 Aitken Street
DX SX10088 | Wel ington
T 04 918 8800 |
F 04 918 8820
[email address] | www.justice.govt.nz
1 November 2022
I Brown
[FYI request #20448 email]
Our ref: OIA 98970
Tēnā koe I Brown
Official Information Act 1982 request: Public Defence Service data
Thank you for your email of 02 September 2022 requesting, under the Official Information
Act 1982 (the Act), information regarding Public Defence Service (PDS) data. On 07
September 2022 you were contacted to clarify question 5 of your request. You confirmed on
the same date, see your clarified request and responses below:
1. The proportion of assignments made to the Public Defence Service
(PDS) both as a percentage and in numbers (overall assignments for each
centre and number assigned to the PDS), for each centre where there is a
PDS office for the time period from 1 July to 30 June for the years 2017, 2018,
2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022:
a. at each of the PAL levels and
b. appeals;
2. The number of jury trials undertaken by the PDS in each centre for
those same time periods.
3. The revenue the PDS received from assignments both as a service
nationally and per office for the same time periods; and
4. Any and all analyses, reports, memoranda, or anything else showing
or referring to the cost-effectiveness per case compared to the private
defence bar both as a service as a whole and per centre, from 2014 onwards;
and
5.
Any PDS rules, guidelines, policies, or any other information for staff
members relating to unsupervised appearances by PAL 1 PDS providers in a
court for a case where they do not have the PAL approval relevant to the case
they are appearing on.
In other words, where a PDS lawyer with only a PAL 1 approval is appearing
on a PAL 2, 3, or 4 matter unsupervised.
You were advised of an extension on the timeframe for your request to enable necessary
consultations to take place.
Pursuant to section 15(1) of the Act I can advise you that the information you have
requested wil be released to you. However, the information has not yet been finalised for
release. The information wil be provided to you as soon as it is ready. I apologise for any
inconvenience this delay may cause you.
You have the right under section 28(3) of the Act to complain to the Ombudsman about this
response. The Ombudsman may be contacted by emailing [email address].
Nāku noa nā
Jan Morison
Team Leader, Ministerial Relations and Services
