NCJ Number
148008
Journal
Judges' Journal Volume: 33 Issue: 1 Dated: (Winter 1994) Pages: 2-9,30-32
Date Published
1994
Length
11 pages
Annotation
Differentiated Case Management (DCM) is a technique that courts can use to tailor case processing procedures and time frames to the public policy priorities and management needs of the individual cases filed.
Abstract
The concept builds upon traditional caseload distinctions (civil versus criminal, felony versus misdemeanor) and relies on accepted case delay-reduction principles (development of case processing time frames, scheduling certainty, and ongoing case monitoring). The new concepts that DCM adds to court administration include the development of case management systems that consider the fact that all classes of cases do not present the same degree of management complexity, acknowledgement that judicial system resources cannot be allocated equally to all cases filed, a shift away from the first-in/first-out disposition approach to one that provides multiple pathways, and a recognition that early judicial intervention is important in certain classes of cases and litigants. This article presents the viewpoints of six judges involved with the implementation of the Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance DCM demonstration programs.