The purpose of the Court Backlog Reduction Simulator is to help your court assess your active pending caseload, identify backlogs, brainstorm possible solutions and make policy and practice changes to improve case processing.
Drawing on the number of pending cases and past filing and disposition trends, the tool provides a forecast of pending cases to help you identify targets for change and estimate how your interventions may impact monthly case processing. Interventions are strategies designed to reduce backlog and often feature efforts to increase the number of dispositions, triage cases for early resolution or focus on resolving the oldest pending cases. Specific interventions can include, among other things, adding a visiting judge, expanding court hours and dedicating staff to a dismissal docket for inactive cases. The project is supported by the State Justice Institute.
NEW - Age of Pending Caseload functionality now available!
Backlog Reduction Learning Collaboratives - September/October 2023
The Conference of Chief Justices and Conference of State Court Administrators Rapid Response Team invites you to participate in its first set of three backlog reduction learning collaboratives. Supported by the State Justice Institute, this series will include focused conversations about prevalent themes and issues surrounding criminal case backlogs.
The first three collaboratives and survey links include:
- Digital Evidence Learning Collaborative - beginning Sept. 22 from 3:00 - 4:30 p.m. ET
- Implementing a Criminal Continuance Policy & Practice Learning Collaborative - beginning Oct. 16 from 2:00 - 3:30 p.m. ET
- Implementing a Criminal Case Scheduling Order Learning Collaborative - beginning Oct. 13 from 2:00 - 3:30 p.m. ET
Sessions will last 90 minutes, and attendance is capped at 10 jurisdictions. The collaboratives will meet monthly for at least six months. To reserve your space, please complete the linked surveys above. Contact Nora Sydow for more information.
Past webinars
Launch of the Court Backlog Reduction Simulator!
Imagine an online, interactive simulation tool where you can enter some basic background case management data and see a forecasted pending caseload with and without interventions. Now, you don’t have to imagine! In this NCSC webinar, learn about our just-released Court Backlog Reduction Simulator (CBRS).
This virtual event provides an explanation of the backlog basics. What is backlog? How is it measured? What is the difference between backlog and clearance rates? What tools are available and being developed to help courts battle their backlogs?