NCJ Number
56063
Date Published
1977
Length
91 pages
Annotation
THIS SECOND CASELOAD SUMMARY REPORT OF THE GEORGIA ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OF COURTS PROVIDES A COMPREHENSIVE STATE LEVEL ANALYSIS OF THE WORK IN GEORGIA'S FOUR PRINCIPAL TRIAL COURTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 1977.
Abstract
THE FOUR PRINCIPAL TRIAL COURTS CONSIST OF SUPERIOR COURTS, STATE COURTS, PROBATE COURTS, AND JUVENILE COURTS. MORE THAN 670,000 CASES WERE FILED IN THESE COURTS IN 1977, AN INCREASE OF 2.4 PERCENT OVER 1976. THE LARGEST PORTION OF THIS INCREASE WAS TRAFFIC CASES. THE COURTS DISPOSED OF A SLIGHTLY HIGHER PROPORTION OF THEIR CASELOADS IN 1977 THAN THEY DID IN 1976. ALMOST 60 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL FILINGS WERE CRIMINAL CASES, 35.7 PERCENT WERE CIVIL CASES, AND 4.4 PERCENT WERE JUVENILE CASES. ALMOST 25 PERCENT OF THE STATEWIDE CASELOAD WAS FILED IN SUPERIOR COURTS (FELONY AND DOMESTIC RELATIONS CASES CONSTITUTED HALF OF THIS CASELOAD, GENERAL CIVIL CASES CONSTITUTED ABOUT 21 PERCENT, AND THE REMAINING CASES INVOLVED INDEPENDENT MOTIONS, AND MISDEMEANOR AND TRAFFIC FILINGS). STATE AND COUNTY COURTS ACCOUNTED FOR MORE THAN HALF OF THE TOTAL STATEWIDE CASELOAD, PROBATE COURTS FOR 17.8 PERCENT, AND JUVENILE COURTS FOR THE REMAINING 4.4 PERCENT. DESPITE A STATEWIDE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF DEFENDANTS FILED OF OVER 2 PERCENT FROM 1976 TO 1977, THE NUMBER OF DEFENDANTS DISPOSED ROSE BY OVER 4 PERCENT. ALTHOUGH TOTAL DISPOSITIONS ARE INCREASING AT A MORE RAPID RATE THAN TOTAL FILINGS, THIS IS DUE PRIMARILY TO THE INCREASES IN DISPOSITIONS IN GENERAL CIVIL AND TRAFFIC CASES. FOR EVERY OTHER CASE TYPE, FILINGS ARE STILL INCREASING AT A FASTER RATE THAN DISPOSITIONS. IT IS HOPED THAT THIS INFORMATION WILL ASSIST MANAGEMENT AND PLANNING FOR GEORGIA'S JUDICIAL SYSTEM. APPENDIXES CONTAIN THE REPORT METHODOLOGY, AN OUTLINE OF THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM IN GEORGIA, AND THE WEIGHTED CASELOAD CONCEPT AND PROCEDURE. TABLES ARE INCLUDED. (KJM)