Justice Centre | 19 Aitken Street
DX SX10088 | Wellington
T 0800 268 787 | [email address]
justice.govt.nz
16 November 2022
Chris McCashin
[FYI request #78566 email]
Tēnā koe
Official Information Act 1982 request
Thank you for your request of 17 October 2022 seeking, under the Official Information Act 1982 (the
Act), statistics regarding active coronial cases.
Specifically, your request was for the following:
“Are you able to break down the last following years
2018 - 2022 broken down into each month
Number of active coroner investigations Also at those months can you confirm how long
Coroner investigations were taking”
In response to your request, please find Tables 1 and 2 enclosed. Table 1 provides you with the number
of active coronial cases as at the end of each month, between 31 January 2018 and 31 October 2022.
Table 2 provides you with the average age in days of coronial cases completed in the 12 month periods
ending 31 January 2018 - 31 October 2022.
If you are not satisfied with my response, you have the right to complain to the Ombudsman under
section 28(3) of the Act. The Ombudsman may be contacted by email at
[email address] or by phone 0800 802 602.
I trust that this information assists.
Nāku noa, nā
Jacquelyn Shannon
Group Manager, Courts and Tribunals, Regional Service Delivery
Ref:
100117
Encl: Table 1: The number of active coronial cases, as at the end of each month, between 31 January
2018 and 31 October 2022
Table 2: The average age in days of coronial cases completed in the 12 month periods ending
31 January 2018 - 31 October 2022
2
Table 1: The number of active coronial cases, as at the end of each month, between 31 January
2018 and 31 October 2022
Year
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
2018
3,978
3,971
4,002
4,047
4,056
4,110
4,160
4,180
4,251
4,283
4,217
4,234
2019
4,333
4,368
4,543
4,564
4,536
4,665
4,571
4,588
4,682
4,750
4,831
4,941
2020
4,982
4,967
5,100
5,281
5,249
5,244
5,284
5,238
5,209
5,225
5,278
5,381
2021
5,410
5,444
5,462
5,488
5,558
5,520
5,527
5,564
5,557
5,517
5,510
5,544
2022
5,659
5,771
5,830
5,979
6,066
6,160
6,130
6,115
6,137
6,236
-
-
Notes for Table 1:
1. This data may differ from previously released or published data. This data was extracted from the Case
Management System used by the Courts as at 05/11/2022.
2. This data includes only cases accepted into the Coronial jurisdiction. Advice cases, which are excluded from this
data, are those where the Coroner declines jurisdiction and a doctor certifies the death.
3. Numbers of active cases may be affected by seasonal patterns.
4. Example interpretation: At the end of January 2018, there were 3,978 active coronial cases.
Table 2: The average age in days of coronial cases completed in the 12 month periods ending 31
January 2018 - 31 October 2022
Year
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
2018
325
335
340
344
346
346
341
341
343
348
346
349
2019
354
347
344
339
342
342
342
338
343
347
350
348
2020
352
352
353
357
357
382
400
421
435
449
457
467
2021
464
477
491
489
494
479
472
480
476
474
478
480
2022
490
493
493
494
497
499
503
501
500
489
-
-
Notes for Table 2:
1. This data may differ from previously released or published data. This data was extracted from the Case
Management System used by the Courts as at 05/11/2022.
2. This data includes only cases accepted into the Coronial jurisdiction. Advice cases, which are excluded from this
data, are those where the Coroner declines jurisdiction and a doctor certifies the death.
3. Average completed time represents the active days between the date the application was filed and the date the
final findings were issued.
4. Example interpretation: In the 12 months ending January 2018, the average age of coronial cases at the date final
findings were issued was 325 days.
