The Law Society says it is pleased with a Ministry of Justice plan to restart criminal court hearings in Christchurch.
The court will be run from the Maori Land Court in Peterborough Street when the earthquake cordon in that area is lifted on 10 April.
Family, civil, tenancy and other courts are being run from other locations.
Law Society Canterbury-Westland branch president Allister Davis says judges in some courts are considering working longer hours in order to clear a backlog of cases.
The ministry says it is working to restore its normal court buildings in Durham Street, which were green-stickered after the earthquake.