HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 03071989 - 1.52 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
FROM: PHIL BATCHELOR 1-052
County Administrator
DATE: February 22, 1989
SUBJECT: DEVELOPMENT OF TRIAL COURT DELAY PROGRAM IN THE MUNICIPAL COURTS
Specific Request(s) or Recomendations(s) & Background & Justification
RECOMMENDATION:
Accept Report from County Administrator on Development of a Trial Court Delay Program
in the Municipal Courts.
REASONS FOR RECOI4ENDATION/BACKGROUND:
On March 22, 1988, the Board of Supervisors directed the County Administrator to
explore the matter of a Trial Court Delay Program in the County's Municipal Courts.
This program is to include the development of an information and management system to
track cases through the justice system in order to reduce jail overcrowding and
judicial system delays.
Meetings were held to determine what the needs of the Municipal Court Judges were
regarding case tracking. During these discussions, it was determined that the
California Judicial Council was already developing standards for the Municipal Courts
regarding court delay reduction. It is apparently the intention of the Judicial
Council that these standards be similar to those put into effect for the Superior
Court. The standards are due out shortly and when they are received, they will be
reviewed by the Municipal Court Judges to determine if they will meet the Judges'
goals for a case tracking system.
Based on this information, it was decided to wait for the Judicial Council standards,
review those standards when they are produced to be sure they meet the needs of the
Municipal Court Judges, and then combine the programming efforts so the requirements
of both groups (the Judicial Council and the Municipal Court Judges) could be dealt
with at the same time. It is anticipated that draft standards will be issued in
March 1989 with final standards to be effective January 1, 1990.
As an interim measure, the Municipal Courts decided to modify two reports, to which
the Municipal Court Judges currently have access, in an effort to give the Judges as
much information as possible. These two reports are called the Setting Guide Report
and the Volume Indicator Report. These reports have been modified so they indicate
not only the number of cases scheduled for court under certain conditions, but also
how many defendants are involved in the cases. For example, if 30 cases are scheduled
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: X YES Signature:
X Recommendation of County Administrator
Recommendation of Board Committee
X Approve Other
Signature(s):
Action of Board on: MAR 7 1989 Approved as Recommended X Other
Vote of Supervisors: I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN
Unanimous (Absent ) AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE
Ayes: Noes: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON DATE SHOWN_
Absent: Abstain:
Attested: MAR 7 19R
cc: CAO-Justice System Programs Phil Batchelor, Clerk of
Law & Justice Systems the Board of Supervisors
County Municipal Court Administrator and County Administrator
By: , DEPUTY
gevelcpment of Trial Court Delay Program
In the Municipal Courts
Page 2
for court, this may relate only to 20 defendants. The judge might then be able to
handle more cases that day, since fewer defendants need to be seen than that count of
cases indicates.
These reports will assist judges in managing caseloads pending implementation of a
more complete Trial Court Delay Program consistent with mandated Judicial Council
guidelines.