NCJ Number
73041
Date Published
1979
Length
233 pages
Annotation
The National Center for State Court's final report of a study focusing on the operation of the York County court of common pleas (Pennsylvania) is presented. The effectiveness of court case processing is emphasized.
Abstract
The court is a five-judge trial court general jurisdiction serving the eighth most populous counties in Pennsylvania. While only modest increases have occurred in recent years in the total number of cases filed with the court, appellate court decisions and legislative mandates protecting the rights of citizens have added to the complexity of matters before the court. From a representative sample of criminal cases filed with the court clerks in 1977 and 1978, it was found that the median elapsed time from filing of complaint to trial commencement or pretrial disposition was 140 days for 1977 cases and 135 days for 1978 cases. This study also assessed the manner in which other types of cases are treated; formal court involvement in the resolution of civil cases is often rare. Results indicate that the court is consistently meeting statutory time limits for the adjudication and disposition of juvenile delinquency cases where the accused have been held in detention. Elapsed times are not as favorable with regard to juveniles who are not detained. Overall, conditions of the court are good. It is recommended that the individual calendar case assignment system be continued, that another judge be appointed, and that a wage survey relating to clerical salaries be conducted. Further, prosecutorial screening of criminal cases should begin at preliminary hearings, district justice scheduling arraignments should be closely monitored, and postverdict time standards should be established. The court should move to control the civil docket, and time standards should be established for nondetention juvenile delinquency cases and support cases. Charts, graphs, tables, chapter footnotes, and floor plans are included. An outline of criminal and civil case processing, data collection methodology, and a description of the jury cycle are appended.