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2009 Federal Judiciary Report Released

By Jeralyn

At 6:00 p.m. last night, Chief Justice John Roberts released the 2009 Report on the Federal Judiciary. The number of criminal cases filed reached its highest level since 1932:

Criminal case filings (including transfers) rose 8% to 76,655, and the number of defendants climbed 6% to 97,982, surpassing the previous record for the number of defendants, 92,714, set in 2003. The number of criminal cases reached its highest level since 1932, the year before ratification of the Twenty-first Amendment, which repealed prohibition. In that year, 92,174 criminal cases were filed.

The number of marijuana cases increased while the number of other drug, firearms and explosives cases declined. Immigration cases increased big-time: [More...]

Increases occurred in cases related to immigration, fraud, marijuana trafficking, and sex offenses. Filings in other offense categories with significant numbers—non-marijuana drugs and firearms-and-explosives— declined. Immigration filings climbed to record levels, as cases jumped 21% to 25,804, and the number of defendants rose 19% to 26,961.

Why the big increase in immigration criminal cases?

This growth resulted mostly from filings addressing either improper reentry by aliens or fraud or misuse of a visa or entry permit. The charge of improper reentry by an alien accounted for 80% of all immigration cases and 77% of all immigration defendants. The vast majority of immigration cases—88%— were filed in the five southwestern border districts.

The number of persons on supervised release and under supervision by Probation increased. There are 124,183 persons under post-conviction supervision. 80% of them were released from prison on supervised release. Pre-trial supervision cases (which includes pre-trial diversion and I assume people on bond) grew 6% to 105,294.

Bankruptcy filings were up 35% from 2008.

For the Supreme Court: While filings were down,

During the 2008 Term, 87 cases were argued and 83 were disposed of in 74 signed opinions, compared to 75 cases argued and 72 disposed of in 67 signed opinions in the 2007 Term.

Justice Roberts concludes:

The courts are operating soundly, and the nation’s dedicated federal judges are conscientiously discharging their duties....Best wishes in the New Year.

Full post as published by TalkLeft on January 01, 2010 (boomark / email).