Alternative Procedures for Reducing Delays in Criminal Appeals: Sacramento, Springfield, and Rhode Island, 1983-1984
Description
This data collection investigates the effectiveness of
alternative approaches to reducing delays in criminal
appeals. Interviews were conducted with court representatives from
districts employing differing alternatives. These districts and
approaches are (1) case management in the Illinois Appellate Court,
Fourth District, in Springfield, (2) staff screening for submission
without oral argument in the California Court of Appeals, Third
District, in Sacramento, and (3) fast-tracking procedures in the Rhode
Island Supreme Court. Parallel interviews were conducted in public
defenders' offices in three additional locations: Colorado, the
District of Columbia, and Minnesota. Questions focused on the backlogs
courts were facing, the reasons for the backlogs, and the
consequences. Participants were asked about the fairness and possible
consequences of procedures employed by their courts and other courts
in this study. Case data were acquired from court records of the
Springfield, Sacramento, and Rhode Island courts.