Senior judges are in talks with the Government over concerns the court system may struggle to cope with the workload facing judges.
In a brief statement chief district court judge Jan-Marie Doogue says there is what she describes as a resource challenge, estimated to peak in the middle of next year.
Chief Judge Doogue says she is in constructive discussions with the Government over the problem.
She says she wants to ensure there is no undue delay in serving the community's justice needs.
Last week the Justice Minister Judith Collins said she wanted court reforms that would speed up the justice system and bring it into the twenty-first century.
She said she had asked all chief judges to set protocols on how long it is reasonable to wait for a judgement to be delivered.
The minister also wants more use of audio-visual technology in courts, allowing inmates to view proceedings without being transported from prison to the court.
