NCJ Number
81205
Date Published
1981
Length
44 pages
Annotation
This report of the South Dakota unified judicial system presents descriptive analyses of the component offices of the system, statistical data for fiscal year 1980, and commentary on significant court activities for fiscal years 1976 through 1980.
Abstract
The services offered by the unified judicial system can be organized into four categories: the administration of justice, the clarification of citizens' rights, supervisory functions, and financial and record transfers. The system includes a supreme court, circuit courts, and magistrate courts. Administrative and support functions of the system, as well as judicial system statistics, are cited. Data indicate that in 1978, the number of backlog cases in the supreme court decreased by about 50 percent, to one third of total dispositions. In 1979, the backlog increased by about 70 percent, while total pending cases remained nearly unchanged. In 1980, projections show that dispositions will increase while filings, pending, and backlog will decrease. If this trend continues, the supreme court will probably achieve a balanced caseload with a manageable backlog within the next 4 years. Data on court financing and on the collection and use of caseload information are included. Circuit caseload statistics, graphs illustrating a 5-year caseload summary for the judicial system, and future trends are presented.