NCJ Number
52392
Date Published
1978
Length
199 pages
Annotation
TABULAR STATISTICAL SUMMARIES WITH NARRATIVE ANALYSIS ARE PROVIDED OF THE ACTIVITIES OF VARIOUS LEVELS OF THE COLORADO JUDICIARY FOR FISCAL YEAR 1977-1978.
Abstract
FOLLOWING A DETAILED OVERVIEW OF THE HISTORY AND ORGANIZATION OF THE STATE COURT SYSTEM, DATA ARE CITED AND DISCUSSED REGARDING THE WORK OF THE APPELLATE COURT, THE SUPREME COURT, THE COURT OF APPEALS, THE DISTRICT COURTS, THE WATER COURTS, AND THE COUNTY COURTS. DATA ARE ALSO PROVIDED ON THE USE OF COMMUNITY-BASED SENTENCES. COLORADO RESIDENTS TURNED TO THE COURTS IN INCREASING NUMBERS DURING THE YEAR FOR THE RESOLUTION OF ISSUES RANGING FROM MONEY DISPUTES AND CRIMINAL MATTERS TO CONSTITUTIONAL QUESTIONS. CIVIL CASES WERE PREDOMINATELY RESPONSIBLE FOR CASELOAD INCREASES THROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM. COMPLEX WATER CASES IN BOTH DISTRICT AND SUPREME COURTS INCREASED THEIR WORKLOAD. PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION RULINGS WERE CHALLENGED IN BOTH THE DISTRICT AND SUPREME COURTS AND THE COUNTY COURTS DEALT WITH AN INCREASING NUMBER OF CIVIL CASES AS A RESULT OF JURISDICTIONAL CHANGES AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A SMALL CLAIMS DIVISION. THE SUPREME COURT DRAMATICALLY INCREASED THE NUMBER OF CASES IT WAS ABLE TO CLOSE, ACHIEVING 322 WRITTEN OPINIONS, AN AVERAGE OF ONE PER JUSTICE PER WEEK. THE NUMBER OF APPEALS COURT CASES STABILIZED AND DESPITE SLIGHT INCREASES IN CRIMINAL AND JUVENILE FILINGS IN THE DISTRICT COURTS, THE INCREASES IN THE OTHER CASE TYPES RESULTED IN AN OVERALL INCREASE OF ONLY 3.8 PERCENT. THE DRAMATIC INCREASES IN NEW FILINGS IN THE WATER COURTS WAS DUE TO THE HUNDREDS OF CASES FILED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WITH RESPECT TO WATER RIGHTS IN THE NATIONAL FORESTS AND ON OTHER FEDERAL LAND IN THE STATE. THERE WAS A MAJOR INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF ADULTS AND JUVENILES PLACED ON PROBATION DURING THE YEAR. IN ADDITION, MORE THAN 500 ADULT CRIMINAL OFFENDERS WERE SERVED THROUGH COURT-ORDERED, FRONT-END DIVERSION COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS PROGRAMS. (KBL)