Essay On Unmanageable Case Management Quandary

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Case Study: An Unmanageable Case Management Quandary The United States judicial system which includes all local, state and federal courts is one of the most complex systems in the world. Criminal, civil and probate cases are among the few types of cases heard daily. Court administrators are under constant pressure to ensure that defendant’s rights are protected, hearings are calendared and that resolution is acquired in a timely manner. Increases in filings in the criminal and civil divisions along with budgetary constraints have required court administrators to adopt new case management methods. In the instance of the “Unmanageable Case Management Quandary” presented in Justice Administration by Kenneth Peak, court administrators are experiencing high case loads, serious backlog and extended resolution periods. The court has adopted a mixed calendar system, where certain judges have been assigned to hear all criminal matters including motions during a four week period. The remaining judges have been assigned to hear and resolve all civil matters; the assignment is random (Peak, 2010). This system, which is a combination of the individual and master-calendar systems, has advanced over the years and has been adopted by most courts throughout the nation. When…show more content…
The cases are assigned per stage and are returned to the pool once that particular stage is complete; there is likely to be a different judge at every stage of the process. The advantages of this system appeals to many as it maximizes the use of judges time each day making for a more speedy process. There is also a more uniformed process of managing continuances, trial preparation and motion hearing. Less pressure is experienced by judges which in turn translate into higher quality deliberation and a more valuable sense of justice (NCMC,

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