NCJ Number
180246
Date Published
1998
Length
17 pages
Annotation
This 5-year (1993-97) retrospective on the Federal judicial caseload analyzes the constantly changing composition of the Federal courts' caseload.
Abstract
The analysis focuses on U.S. bankruptcy courts, the civil and criminal caseloads of U.S. district courts, and the U.S. courts of appeals. Data on judgeship positions on U.S. district courts are also provided. Data show that the major trend that has emerged from the last 5 years of bankruptcy, civil, criminal, and appeals cases is that the Federal courts' caseload has increased. Filings of new cases in the appellate and bankruptcy courts have reached record heights, increasing 5 percent and 34 percent, respectively, between July 1, 1992, and June 30, 1997. Overall, 14 percent more cases were filed in the district courts for the year ending June 30, 1997, than for the year ending June 30, 1993, with filings of criminal cases and defendants attaining their highest levels since the Prohibition Amendment was repealed in 1933. The caseload and associated workload of Federal judges has increased significantly over the last 5 years. From 1993 to 1997, the total number of weighted civil and criminal filings per district judgeship increased 13 percent, from 427 to 481; and bankruptcy filings per authorized judgeship rose 43 percent. Despite these increases, no new Article III judgeships have been created since 1990, and the number of bankruptcy judges authorized and funded has not changed since 1993. 23 figures and 1 table