The ad­min­is­tra­tion of jus­tice in any ju­ris­dic­tion is sup­posed to be fair, im­par­tial and ac­ces­si­ble.

But for years, de­lays have raised a hard­er ques­tion: if jus­tice comes too late, who is the sys­tem re­al­ly serv­ing?

In this three-part se­ries, Guardian Me­dia In­ves­ti­ga­tions Desk ex­am­ines how the jus­tice sys­tem is work­ing in prac­tice, from de­lay in­side the courts to the pres­sure it cre­ates out­side them, and what that means for the peo­ple who ad­min­is­ter it and for those caught in­side it.