NCJ Number
237166
Date Published
2011
Length
57 pages
Annotation
This report from the Court Statistics Project presents an analysis of 2009 State court caseloads.
Abstract
Highlights from this analysis show that for trial courts: the total number of caseloads in State courts (106 million) remained basically unchanged from 2008 to 2009, with general jurisdiction caseloads increasing by about 1 million and limited jurisdiction caseloads decreasing by roughly the same amount; 66 percent of incoming caseloads were processed in courts of limited jurisdiction; on average, general jurisdiction court judges handle 1,800 new cases annually; and in 2009, the number of total judicial officers in State trial courts exceeded 30,000. Highlights from this analysis show that for appellate courts: from 2008 to 2009, appellate caseloads declined by 3 percent, with an overall decline of 6 percent since 2000; States with higher populations generally recorded higher total caseloads; 63 percent of incoming appellate court cases were for appeals by right cases, with the majority of these being handled by intermediate appellate courts; and over half of court of last resort caseloads were for cases with appeals by permission. This report from the Court Statistics Project presents an analysis of 2009 State court caseloads. Data for the report were obtained from Administrative Offices of the Courts and the Appellate Court Clerks' Offices. The purpose of the report is to make court statistics more accessible and to allow stakeholders to assess the current legal landscape, improve the management of a court or a State court system, and to develop public policy or gain a better understanding of the work of the judicial branch of government. Tables and figures