Mr Ruddock told ABC radio there was ongoing concern at the length of Mr Hicks’ detention.
"I share that concern. The prime minister shares that concern," he said.
"That is why we have continued to press the American government to resolve the issue as quickly as possible. It means that we want them to deal with it expeditiously but we can't dictate the progress of bills that might have to pass their Senate.
"We can't dictate the time that their Supreme Court takes to entertain appeals from people who might be affected by American legislation."
Mr Ruddock said cases could take a very long time when people sought to test the limits of jurisdiction.
"The point is that when you want to exhaust all potential legal challenges that are possible in relation to particular matters affecting you, they can take a very long period of time," he said.
Mr Ruddock also said he did not meet with Mr Hicks' US military lawyer Major Michael Mori who visited Australia last week.
Legal material seized
Meanwhile the Sydney Morning Herald has reported that the US government has seized privileged legal material from the Mr Hicks and fellow inmates, as part of an investigation into the suicides of three inmates in June.
The Sydney Morning Herald report stated that US Navy investigators also seized other possessions, including blankets and books, during the raid.
Lawyers for the prisoners have lodged a complaint demanding to know what had been taken and labelled the raid the latest abuse of legal process involving the prisoners, the newspaper said.
Mr Hicks has been held by the US at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba since January 2002, a month after his capture as he fought among Taliban forces in Afghanistan.
He had been charged by the US with aiding the enemy, attempted murder and conspiracy, and was to have been tried by US military commission. But the US Supreme Court has ruled the commissions unlawful, forcing the US government to revamp the process.