Examining the Work of State Courts, 1999-2000: A National Perspective from the Court Statistics Project

• NCJ Number: 189685
• Author(s): Brian J. Ostrom, Ph.D., National Center for State Courts; Neal B. Kauder, National Center for State Courts; Robert C. LaFountain, National Center for State Courts
• Date Published: January 2001
• Publication Type: Publication

Annotation

This report provided a comprehensive analysis of the Nation's State trial and appellate courts from 1999 to 2000.

Abstract

State judiciaries handled the work of 270 million people, processing over 90 million cases in 1999. This report offered a national perspective through a comprehensive analysis of the work of the Nation's State trial and appellate courts from 1999 through 2000. Accurate, objective, and comparable data across States provided a relative yardstick against which states can consider their performance, identify emerging trends, and measure the possible impact of legislation. Baseline data assists State courts in answering most important questions. This report facilitated an understanding of the work of State trial and appellate courts. In the beginning of the report, an overview was provided of State trial court caseloads followed by caseload data and information within eight areas of the State trial courts: (1) civil; (2) tort and contract; (3) general civil resolved cases; (4) domestic relations; (5) juvenile; (6) criminal; (7) felony; and (8) appellate. In the final section of this report the effects of jurisdictional changes in several States was discussed, specifically, how it affected the number of cases filed in courts of last resort and the corresponding intermediate appellate courts. Jurisdictional change was discussed as it related to the transferring of case hearing authority, restrictions on criminal appeals resulting from guilty plea convictions, and establishing appellate review of sentences. Tables, graphs, and appendices