NCJ Number
119519
Date Published
1989
Length
209 pages
Annotation
This study of the management of the Texas trial courts focuses on the causes and consequences of case delay, the effectiveness of various caseflow management strategies, and the conversion of court data into useful information to improve the management of the judicial process.
Abstract
The book opens with an overview of the court unification movement, from which caseflow management evolved, followed by a review of the organization of the Texas court system. The history of the Texas courts is traced to provide an understanding of the roots of the current court system. A description of the environment of the courts focuses on the local nature of the court system. A systems analysis approach is used to explain the demands placed on the court from external sources, including the local legal culture and courtroom work groups. How these factors influence caseflow management is examined. After an analysis of the concept of court delay and the rationale for controlling it, various methods of caseflow management are considered, along with the benefits and liabilities of each system. The caseflow management principles described are then applied to the civil and criminal courts, followed by the presentation of working models for caseflow management in these Texas courts. The book concludes with descriptions of data analysis techniques useful to the court administrator. Appended sample forms, chapter data tables and notes.