NCJ Number
49932
Date Published
1974
Length
384 pages
Annotation
THIS REPORT, BASED ON AN 8-MONTH STUDY OF THE JEFFERSON COUNTY (ALA.) CIRCUIT COURT IN BIRMINGHAM, COVERS THE MAJOR ASPECTS OF COURT OPERATION, PARTICULARLY CRIMINAL AND CIVIL CASE PROCESSING AND COURT ADMINISTRATION.
Abstract
A DESCRIPTION OF THE JEFFERSON COUNTY COURT SYSTEM IS PRESENTED, AND SPECIFIC JURISDICTIONS ARE EXPLAINED. SECTIONS OF THE REPORT EXAMINE CIVIL CASEFLOW MANAGEMENT, CRIMINAL CASEFLOW MANAGEMENT, JURY MANAGEMENT, RECORDS MANAGEMENT, THE FAMILY COURT, AND PROBATION SERVICES. SUMMARIES OF CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ACCOMPANY EACH SECTION. THE PRINCIPAL CONCLUSION REGARDING CIVIL CASEFLOW MANAGEMENT IS THAT UNIFIED JUDICIAL COMMITMENT IS NEEDED TO DISPOSE OF THE PRESENT CASE BACKLOG, FORESTALL FUTURE NEEDS FOR EMERGENCY ACTION TO DISPOSE OF GROWING BACKLOGS, AND ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN A REASONABLE TIME LIMIT FOR DISPOSITIONS. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT TWO ADDITIONAL JUDGES BE APPOINTED TO THE CRIMINAL DIVISION AND THAT THE COURT TAKE OVER THE SCHEDULING OF CRIMINAL CASES. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT THE JURY SYSTEM IS WELL ADMINISTERED BUT SUGGESTIONS ARE OFFERED FOR ENSURING FAIR AND UNBIASED JUROR SELECTION AND EFFICIENT JUROR UTILIZATION. REGARDING RECORDS MANAGEMENT, IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT A CENTRALIZED FILE FOR PROSECUTOR RECORDS BE ESTABLISHED, THAT THE FILING SYSTEM BE REVISED, AND THAT A DESTRUCTION-RETENTION SCHEME BE INSTITUTED. AN ANALYSIS OF THE FAMILY COURT IS PRESENTED, AND IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT NEW JUVENILE-FAMILY COURT LEGISLATION BE ENACTED TO DEFINE THE COURT JURISDICTIONS, THAT THE FAMILY COURT BE PLACED WITHIN THE CIRCUIT COURT AS A SPECIALIZED DIVISION, AND THAT ALL ADEQUATE DEFENSE SERVICES BE MADE AVAILABLE TO JUVENILES WITHIN THE COURT'S JURISDICTION. PROBATION SERVICES WERE INVESTIGATED TO EXAMINE OPERATIONS OF THE FELONY PROBATION PROGRAM, AND IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT A FORUM BE DESIGNED FOR MORE INTENSIVE INTERCHANGE OF MUTUAL INTEREST AND CONCERNS BETWEEN JUDGES AND PROBATION OFFICIALS, THAT ENHANCED SUPERVISION SERVICES BE PROVIDED TO PROBATIONERS, AND THAT GREATER ATTENTION BE GIVEN TO PROBATION TREATMENT PLANS IN THE PRESENTENCE AND POSTSENTENCE INVESTIGATION. THE APPENDIXES CONTAIN A SURVEY OF CRIMINAL CASES, STUDY RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE BEING IMPLEMENTED, AND EXAMPLES OF COMPUTER GENERATED REPORTS. (DAG)