Rau proposes SA courts merger

South Australia's Supreme and District courts could be merged, under a proposal from Attorney-General John Rau.

He also floated the possibility of a separate appeals court during a budget estimates hearing on Wednesday.

"Is there some way they can be better configured to give us all better value and to get a more efficient justice system?" he later told reporters.

"There are very few things actually, at the moment, that the District Court can't or doesn't do that Supreme Court does.

"I think trials for murder or treason, for example, are only in the Supreme Court but they're relatively rare things."