DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA COURTS - ANNUAL REPORT, 1978

• NCJ Number: 58620
• Author(s): ANON
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 90 pages
• Corporate Author: District of Columbia Courts
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Report (Annual/Periodic)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

HIGHLIGHTS AND STATISTICS FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA COURT OF APPEALS AND THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA ARE PRESENTED FOR 1978.

Abstract

IMPORTANT RULES CHANGES OCCURED IN THE COURT OF APPEALS IN 1978. THE COURT ADOPTED MAJOR REVISIONS TO THE RULES GOVERNING THE BAR OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, PARTICULARLY WITH RESPECT TO THE DISCIPLINING OF ATTORNEYS. INTERNAL OPERATING PROCEDURES WERE ALSO PROMULGATED BY THE COURT. THESE PROCEDURES REQUIRE THE JUDGES TO CONSIDER CERTAIN TYPES OF APPEALS ON A PRIORITY BASIS WHEN WRITING THEIR OPINIONS, AND THEY ALSO IMPOSE TIME RESTRICTIONS ON THE OPINION WRITING PERIOD AND ITS CIRCULATION AMONG THE JUDGES. THE 26 PERCENT INCREASE IN DISPOSITIONS BY OPINION AND THE SHORTENING OF THE TIME INTERVAL FROM ARGUMENT OR SUBMISSION OF A CASE TO DISPOSITION MAY BE A DIRECT RESULT OF THESE PROCEDURES, COUPLED WITH THE CONVENIENCES EFFECTED BY THE MOVE TO A NEW BUILDING, WHICH FACILITATED CONFERENCES BETWEEN JUDGES PRIOR TO FINALIZING OPINIONS. STATISTICAL TABLES DEMONSTRATE THE COURT'S WORKLOAD CONTINUES TO BE TOO GREAT FOR EFFICIENT MANAGEMENT BY A NINE-JUDGE COURT. THE RATIO BETWEEN INDICTMENTS FILED IN THE SUPERIOR COURT AND CRIMINAL APPEALS HAS REMAINED SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS. ALTHOUGH THE OVERALL TIME EXPENDED ON APPEAL HAS INCREASED BY 16 DAYS, THE TIME FROM ARGUMENT OR SUBMISSION TO DECISION HAS DROPPED BY FIVE DAYS. THIS SUGGESTS AN INCREASE IN THE PRODUCTIVITY OF THE COURT. IN THE REPORT ON THE SUPERIOR COURT, THE REORGANIZATION OF THE COURT, THE INDIVIDUAL CALENDAR SYSTEM, DECENTRALIZATION OF AUTHORITY, THE ROTATION SYSTEM, MAXIMUM USE OF THE COURT EXECUTIVE, AND COOPERATING WITH BAR COMMITTEES ARE TOPICS DISCUSSED. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT AN ASSESSMENT BE MADE TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE CURRENT NUMBER OF JUDGES IS ADEQUATE TO HANDLE THE CASELOAD. THE APPENDIXES PROVIDE DETAILED STATISTICAL TABLES FOR THE COURT OF APPEALS, THE SUPERIOR COURT, AND THE COURT SYSTEM AS A WHOLE. (RCB)