Annual Statistical Report for the Texas Judiciary FY 2016 Released
By Texas Office of Court Administration , January 24, 2017
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This post has been viewed 2,720 times.
The Office of Court Administration released its annual statistical report for the judiciary with the following highlights:
- The number of civil cases filed in the municipal courts, which account for over half of all civil cases statewide, decreased 11 percent, while the civil caseload in the other levels of court increased slightly;
- The number of traffic and parking cases fell 37 percent from its peak in 2006 and is at the lowest level in more than 30 years – traffic and parking cases make up over 80 percent of the fine-only misdemeanor cases in the state;
- The number of truancy cases fell 91 percent and parent contributing to nonattendance fell 71 percent on the heels of truancy reforms that went into effect at the beginning of the fiscal year;
- The number of new family cases increased to the second highest level ever, driven mostly by post-judgment suits for modification or enforcement;
- The number of new child support cases filed by the Office of the Attorney General and child protection cases were both up 14 percent;
- The number of capital murder convictions (3) and death sentences (3) dropped to an all-time low;
- Despite the fact that new misdemeanor cases have fallen 29 percent in the last ten years and is at the lowest rate since 1992, new misdemeanor drug cases increased 9 percent to a new peak;
- Felony drug possession cases increased 7 percent and is up 28 percent in the last five years;
- The number of misdemeanor and felony theft cases dropped 32 percent and 14 percent, respectively, with the misdemeanor thefts marking the lowest number in at least 30 years;
- The case processing times for the Supreme Court and Courts of Appeals fell to the lowest levels in the last decade (Supreme Court) and since 1989 (Court of Appeals); and
- The number of opinions issued by the Court of Criminal Appeals increased 64 percent, pushing the time to process petitions for discretionary review slightly upward
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