I fully understand the multitude of factors involved in scheduling appearances before Masters and Judges in the Supreme Court. Cases settle, lawyers argue beyond their predicted times, people arrive with ex parte and short leave applications. But is there nothing that can be done to improve the system we have? Clerks are in a better position than virtually anyone else to make educated predictions as to the length of the cases they are dealing with and could inform the court registry on a regular basis. A system of priority could be issued which would at least provide clients with a marginal amount of information on which to base a decision as to whether or not to seek an adjournment. The current system of having lawyers seated, uninformed, around the court registry, waiting, does not seem to be particularly efficient.



