MISSOURI - COURT OF APPEALS - ST LOUIS - RESEARCH DEPARTMENT - PROJECT REVIEW AND EVALUATION REPORT

• NCJ Number: 15762
• Author(s): R S ROSENTHAL; K K PARKS
• Date Published: 1974
• Length: 51 pages
• Grant Number(s): I-S-MP18-72; II-S-MP2-73
• Corporate Author: Missouri Law Enforcement Assistance Council
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

PROJECT TO RESEARCH AND WRITE OPINIONS FOR CASES ON APPEAL BEGINNING MARCH 15, 1972 AND TO SCREEN THE CASES ON APPEAL FOR FORM, CONTENT, AND COMPLIANCE WITH COURT RULES AND PRACTICES.

Abstract

THE RESEARCH DEPARTMENT WAS ESTABLISHED IN RESPONSE TO AN EXPECTED 100 PERCENT INCREASE IN THE COURT CASELOAD FOR 72 OVER THAT FOR 1971, PRIMARILY DUE TO EXPANSION OF THE JURISDICTION OF THE COURT TO INCLUDE ALL CRIMINAL CASES AND A LARGER PERCENTAGE OF THE CIVIL CASES. THE DEPARTMENT RESEARCHES AND WRITES OPINIONS FOR 50 TO 60 PERCENT OF THE CASES ON APPEAL AS OF APRIL, 1974. THE EVALUATION DETERMINED THAT THE COURT INCREASED THE NUMBER OF CASES HEARD BY JUDGES IN 1973 BY 55 PERCENT AS COMPARED TO 1972, AND THE NUMBER OF OPINIONS WRITTEN BY 48 PERCENT. THE AVERAGE TIME BETWEEN SUBMISSION OF A CASE AND THE HANDING DOWN OF THE WRITTEN OPINION HAS BEEN DECREASED FROM 114 DAYS IN 1971 TO 98 DAYS IN 1972 AND TO 81 DAYS IN 1973. ALTHOUGH THE BACKLOG OF CASES HAS INCREASED, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN SUBSTANTIALLY HIGHER WITHOUT THE SERVICES OF THE RESEARCH DEPARTMENT. FURTHERMORE, THE JUDGES FELT THAT THE QUALITY OF THEIR OPINIONS HAD IMPROVED BECAUSE THE TIME THEY SAVED ON SIMPLE CASES COULD BE SPENT ON ANALYZING DIFFICULT CASES.