The Higher judiciary is expending its services to the provinces to cater for the increases in cases seen by the courts.
With the recent appointment of five new acting judges, Chief Justice, Sir Salamo Injia, says only 16 of the 44 judges will be based in Waigani.
Currently the judiciary has three judges based in regional centers of Lae, Mt Hagen and Kokopo.
The sub-regions of Goroka, Wewak and Kimbe have two judges each.
Other provinces have one resident judge. Only Gulf, Oro, Sandaun, Jiwaka and Manus are left without resident judges.
Sir Salamo says these provinces do not have facilities to accommodate a resident judge however the judiciary may be putting a resident judge in Oro soon, due to the big volume of cases from the area.
Four judges who were sworn in today as full time judges will remain in the provinces which they served in as acting judges in the past two years.
Justice Daniel Liosi will remain in Kundiawa, Justice Ravunama Auka in Wabag, Justice Danajo Koeget in Daru and Justice Thomas Anis will remain in Kokopo.
Daru does not have the facilities to accommodate a judge but Sir Salamo says the judiciary will build one by June next year.
He says Lae will have two acting judges, who were recently appointed to join the resident judges due to the high number of cases there.
Picture: Four full times judges who were sworn in today with Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia, Deputy Chief Justice Sir Gibbs Salika and Governor Sir Bob Dadae