NCJ Number
240257
Date Published
2012
Length
60 pages
Annotation
This report from the National Center for State Courts presents an analysis of 2010 State court caseloads.
Abstract
This report was developed by the National Center for State Courts and presents an analysis of caseloads for State courts during 2010. The intent of the report is to make State court statistics more accessible to the general public. The print version of the report contains an overview of State court caseloads, while the Web version of the report contains more detailed statistics. Data for the report were obtained from the Administrative Offices of the Courts and the Appellate Court Clerks' Offices. This printed version of the report contains two main sections: an overview of caseloads for trial courts and an overview of caseloads for appellate courts. Trial court information is provided on civil caseloads, domestic relations caseloads, criminal caseloads, juvenile caseloads, and traffic/violations caseloads. Appellate court information is provided on appeal by right caseloads, appeal by permission caseloads, death penalty caseloads, and original proceedings/other appellate matters. Data collected for the report show that from 2009 to 2010, State courts experienced an aggregate decline of about 2.5 million in the overall number of caseloads, with traffic/violations caseloads having the largest decrease. In addition, of the 103.5 million incoming cases in 2010, 66 percent were processed in limited jurisdiction courts, while the rest were processed in general jurisdiction and single-tiered courts. The data also showed that the total number of caseloads in State appellate courts in 2010 was nearly the same as that for 2009, with 2010 showing a decline resulting from the drop in caseloads in courts of last resort. Information is also included on the administrative offices in three States that received reporting excellence awards. Tables, figures, and glossary