NCJ Number
68653
Date Published
1979
Length
28 pages
Annotation
ACTIVITIES OF THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY, PA. DURING 1979 ARE PRESENTED, PRIMARILY IN STATISTICAL FORM; CIVIL, CRIMINAL, ORPHAN'S COURT, AND FAMILY DIVISIONS ARE INCLUDED.
Abstract
DURING 1979, 6,747 CASES WERE DISPOSED OF BY THE CIVIL DIVISION, REPRESENTING AN INCREASE OF 7 PERCENT OVER 1978. THE AVERAGE TIME FROM CASE FILING TO DISPOSITION WAS 26.9 MONTHS, WHILE THE AVERAGE TIME FROM DATE AT ISSUE TO DISPOSITION WAS 18.8 MONTHS. THERE WAS A DECREASE IN THE NUMBER OF CASES PLACED AT ISSUE FROM 3,046 IN 1978 TO 2,768 IN 1979 AND IN THE NUMBER OF STATUTORY APPEALS FILED FROM 1,410 TO 1,355. THERE WERE FEWER ARBITRATION APPEALS THAN IN 1978. THE MOST SIGNIFICANT INCREASE WAS IN THE NUMBER OF CASES DISPOSED OF DURING THE YEAR. THE 13.5 PERCENT INCREASE IN DISPOSITIONS WAS ACHIEVED, DESPITE ONLY A SLIGHT INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF JUDGE DAYS, FROM 1,643 IN 1978 TO 1,657 IN 1979. ALSO, CAMERAS WERE PERMITTED IN THE COURTROOM TO FILM PROCEEDINGS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN PENNSYLVANIA, AND A NEW LOUNGE WAS OPENED FOR CIVIL DIVISION JURORS. THE NUMBER OF CASES FILED IN THE CRIMINAL DIVISION REACHED 7,609, COMPARED TO 7,415 IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR. DISPOSITIONS TOTALED 7,507, AND A 22.7 PERCENT REDUCTION WAS ACHIEVED REGARDING TRIAL POSTPONEMENTS. CASES PENDING AT THE END OF 1979 TOTALED 2,791. THE CRIMINAL DIVISION ALSO INITIATED THE DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED PROGRAM. INCREASES IN CONTESTED ADOPTIONS, CONTESTED CIVIL COMMITMENTS, AND MATTERS CONCERNING THE CARE AND TREATMENT OF THE INFIRM ADDED TO THE WORKLOAD OF THE ORPHAN'S COURT DIVISION. A TOTAL OF 12,347 CASES WERE FILED IN THE FAMILY DIVISION'S ADULT SECTION, REPRESENTING AN INCREASE OF 17 PERCENT OVER 1978. IN THE JUVENILE SECTION OF THE FAMILY DIVISION 5,613 DELINQUENT REFERRALS WERE DISPOSED OF IN 1979. IN ADDITION, THE SECTION HANDLED 959 DEPENDENT REFERRALS. PHOTOGRAPHS, TABLES, AND CHARTS ARE INCLUDED IN THE REPORT.