Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. has issued his 2016 Year-End Report on the Federal Judiciary (pdf), highlighting the work performed by U.S. District judges.

Workload of the Courts

In the 12-month period ending September 30, 2016, the number of cases filed in the Supreme Court decreased, while the number filed in the regional appellate courts and the district courts increased. Filings in the bankruptcy courts also decreased. Cases activated in the pretrial services system decreased, while the number of persons under post-conviction supervision increased.

The Supreme Court of the United States

The total number of cases filed in the Supreme Court decreased by 7.94 percent from 7,033 filings in the 2014 Term to 6,475 filings in the 2015 Term. The number of cases filed in the Court’s in forma pauperis docket decreased by 10.24 percent from 5,488 filings in the 2014 Term to 4,926 filings in the 2015 Term. The number of cases filed in the Court’s paid docket increased by 0.02 percent from 1,545 filings in the 2014 Term to 1,549 filings in the 2015 Term. During the 2015 Term, 82 cases were argued and 70 were disposed of in 62 signed opinions, compared with 75 cases argued and 75 disposed of in 66 signed opinions during the 2014 Term. The Court also issued 12 per curiam decisions during the 2015 Term in cases that were not argued.

The Federal Courts of Appeals

In the regional courts of appeals, filings rose 15 percent to 60,357. Appeals involving pro se litigants, which accounted for 52 percent of filings, increased 18 percent. Total civil appeals decreased two percent, criminal appeals grew one percent, appeals of administrative agency decisions fell nine percent, and bankruptcy appeals fell ten percent.

The Federal District Courts

Civil case filings in the United States district courts increased five percent to 291,851. Cases involving diversity of citizenship (i.e., disputes between citizens of different states) fell five percent. Cases with the United States as defendant increased 55 percent as a result of prisoner petitions related to the Supreme Court’s decision in Welch v. United States, No. 15-6418 (Apr. 18, 2016), which provided a new basis for certain prisoners convicted under the Armed Career Criminal Act to challenge their sentences. Cases with the United States as plaintiff decreased 19 percent as fewer cases involving defaulted student loans and forfeiture and penalty cases were filed.

Filings for criminal defendants decreased three percent to 77,357. Defendants charged with drug crimes, accounting for 32 percent of total filings, fell three percent. Defendants charged with immigration crimes decreased less than one percent, with the southwestern border districts receiving 82 percent of national immigration defendant filings. Defendants charged with property offenses decreased 13 percent, largely because defendants charged with fraud also fell 13 percent. Filings involving regulatory offenses, sex crimes, general offenses, and justice system offenses also declined, while filings related to firearms and explosives and violent crimes increased.

The Bankruptcy Courts

Bankruptcy petition filings decreased six percent to 805,580. Fewer petitions were filed in 71 of the 90 bankruptcy courts. Consumer petitions fell six percent, and business petitions fell two percent. Filings of petitions declined nine percent under Chapter 7 and one percent under Chapter 13. Filings increased six percent under Chapter 11.

This year’s total for bankruptcy petitions is the lowest since 2007, which was the first full year after the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 took effect. From 2007 to 2010, bankruptcy filings rose steadily, but they have fallen in each of the last six years.

Read original article


Tags: