It seems Indonesia’s reformist euphoria has reached the courts too.  One of the indicators is suspects’ increasing use of pre-trial suits as a way to get off. Since disgraced former president Suharto ‘abdicated’ on May 21, 1998, the number of such suits in Jakarta has risen.

Most striking is the case of the South Jakarta District Court (see table). This year, up to October, in six out of 19 pre-trial cases the judge