NCJ Number
141572
Date Published
1992
Length
73 pages
Annotation
This report details the activities of the courts in Rhode Island during 1991.
Abstract
Case filings increased from 107,000 in 1987 to 140,000 in 1991, an increase of 31 percent. Despite this increase, the courts have reduced the time from case filing to disposition in most areas. This reduction has resulted from the implementation of the court-annexed arbitration program for civil cases, as well as the establishment of other new methods and procedures such as the pre-arraignment conference calendar for criminal cases. The court has also continued its commitment to providing victim services, supporting services to inform victims of their legal rights, assist them through the court process, and link them with community programs that can provide them with additional services. Another significant development has been public support for ethics reform. The judiciary has responded by making changes that will affect both judges and attorneys, based on the work of the Ethics Reform Commission appointed by the Rhode Island Supreme Court. Figures, tables, photographs, and map