❓ Question on Notice regarding court delays due to outstanding forensic reports. The Attorney General's response indicates that the requested data is not readily available and formal protocols for expedited requests do not exist.
AnsweredQoN 1005Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(1) For each month July 2021–Oct 2025, how many indictable matters listed in the District and Supreme Courts were vacated/adjourned primarily due to outstanding forensic reports: (a) Break down by PathWest vs ChemCentre where recorded? (2) Provide the median delay (days) between the originally listed trial date and the relisted date in those matters, by month? (3) Over the same period, how many trial listings were retained after late receipt of forensic reports (report received ≤14 days pre-trial), and what was the median time between report receipt and trial start? (4) What protocols exist between the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions/WA Police and the forensic agencies for expedited requests before trial (thresholds, notice periods), and how often were those protocols invoked each month since July 2021?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
16 December 2025
Response time
9 days
(1) – (3)
Courts do not record this reason for an adjournment in the Courts’ Case Management System. While this information may be captured in hearing transcripts, there is no way to identify such cases.
(4) There are no formal protocols between the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), the WA Police Force and forensic agencies specifying thresholds or notice periods for expedited pre-trial requests.
Courts do not record this reason for an adjournment in the Courts’ Case Management System. While this information may be captured in hearing transcripts, there is no way to identify such cases.
(4) There are no formal protocols between the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), the WA Police Force and forensic agencies specifying thresholds or notice periods for expedited pre-trial requests.
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