xt7msb3wtd0h_21 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7msb3wtd0h/data/mets.xml https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7msb3wtd0h/data/72m2.dao.xml unknown 166 Cubic Feet 381 document boxes, seven textile items, three map folders, one artwork archival material 72m2 English University of Kentucky The physical rights to the materials in this collection are held by the University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.  Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Frederick Moore Vinson papers Economic stabilization. Elections -- United States -- Congresses. Judges -- Correspondence. Judges -- United States. Judicial opinions Judicial process -- United States Legislators -- Correspondence. New Deal, 1933-1939. World War, 1914-1918 -- Veterans. World War, 1939-1945. Circuit conferences - District of Columbia text Circuit conferences - District of Columbia 2019 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7msb3wtd0h/data/72m2/Box_163/Folder_11/Multipage2592.pdf 1946-1953 1953 1946-1953 section false xt7msb3wtd0h_21 xt7msb3wtd0h MEMORANDUM FOR THE FILE:

Talked with Joe Stewart, (Court of Appeals)
and he will contact Miss Just relative to her
”reporting” of the Chief Justice‘s remarks.

Inasmuch as the Chief Justice was talking
"off-thearecord", it was his desire that no
record be made - or retained - of his remarks;
that there is so much editing and correcting to
do of the supposed report of Miss Just*s that
the C.JD just doesn‘t have the time to go over
it.

We agreed that Mr. Stewart should approach
Miss Just as the Secretary of the Conference and
request for her to destroy any record she may have
km of the speech, inasmuch as the talk was an
"off~themrecord" one of the C.J0 to the Conference»
Mro Stewart will inform the result of his efforts.7

 

  

 “ICE VINSON JUNE 17, 19h8 BEFORE~1HE JUDICIAL CONFERENCE FOR THE
DISTRICT OF COIMNBIA

(Before remarks were reported I 7 Justice referred to Chief Justice
Hughes having elevated him to the Supreme Bench; the reference to Chief
Justice Groner as Chief Justice Vinson; and the accomplishments of iast
Judicial Conferences)

It was not so many years ago that tLe judiciary was part and parcel
of the executive. The judiciary was compelled to go to the Department of
Justice if they desired a supply of lead pencils. Then the change came and
more today than yesterday the judiciary stands as the equal of the executive;
the courts l ‘. equal footing with other parts of the government, and that

The judiciary should have conducted its own affairs and
is conducting ’ - own affairs.

The Judicial Conference held , '. -. ' ‘J:;-*r, __ of that
lemocratic process, to have conferences throughout the country, to have the
recommendations of the conferences, to hwve that right by the statute that
created the Administrative “1' ._ Viich has done a remarkable job. When
the Director {tear t _ on the accomplishments of his office, he will
tell you of the improvement in the judicial process and make a report of
the changes ‘; _. T A ~u rel a very prominent part in the adminstra—
Lion oi tie courts. Some judges 1. . e is too hard—boiled. Maybe he is
not hard—boiled enough. I reca'l ' when we
nut into practice tie making

extra-judicial work. : resented it. I Was a federal judge and they were

monarc.s of all they surveyed, and it seemed to me they were inching over

on the indenenfence of the courts. It is a wonderfully fine thing. When

I look a the record on March Bl this year and find that the District of
Columbia, in the District Courts of the District of Columbia there is not

a single motion or single case taken under advisement that remains with

that judge and has remained more than 60 days. That is remarkable. I

 

 think perhaps the practice of reporting may have helped bring that to
fruition, but this is the only court in the United States which has

record. It made me proud to remember that the first official act
as Chief Justice was to sign the order that permits me to be here today
in the capacity of your Circuit Justice.

Many people have participated in the improvements, in the changes t at
have occurrei in the pa t 10 years. I was here the first five years of
that period, and I as well as other members of the Court at that time had
a part in working with my Chief Justice, Chief Justice Groner. He war
a member of the Conference of Senior Circuit Judges, Chairman of the Advisory
Committee. L - ‘ , . 1 and he, and sometimes others of us,
would so wit} . ” . a a. . a with the respect that not only
commanded, but the respect that all coming in contact with him had, and
hafore U ;~; 1. . subject of the Hill, let me say that in my experience
the Congr s f to: United states ias given great consideration to the im—
provement of the judicial process. That goes for both House
That goes too for members irrespective of their party line.
most helpful. Sometimes we think that they haven't moved quite as
we would have fiked.

Looking at Chief Justice LawS, we think of the question of the new
Court building. Improvements could not be made because of shortage of

The day before yesterday appropriations came out of Committee,
red the House and are moving fast now, with passage assured. I repeat

‘30 that you representatives of the Courts, of the lawyers, of the

public, so ”'r F the judiciary is concerned have been pleasant; they have

had very plea . " consideration from members of the Congress, regardless

of their political status, and much has been accomplished.

o

 

 You should have seen Herold Stephens when he got the word that a

new monument had been erected on the road that he was to t e— . The
passage 0; the amendment to the Judiciary Code Title 28 has been in the
making a long long time. Chief Justice Groner again was interest in that
in the Conference of Senior Circuit Judges. He has had a particular interest

the codification of the laws in that section of our ”house". Chief
Judge
did. But

lived with it veritably for the last

seven mo Before that he has sgent hours, weeks, altogether in working
toward the final objective and muchtributo should he paid him for his efforts.
I could call the roll in regard to accomplishments that the courts have
moi. for themselves. Certain neople wore on committees and had opportunity

4

and by continuity of effort were p aced in the front line of the campaign,

but it is the Courts' effort that has bring“ about wonderful improvement

in err system.
rarely come into this building that I don't think of the day when

I came here, on M», .3, .2;“ There had been some delay in my getting here.

I not th:rv the tax hill Nay ll, resigned pronto, and came down here May 12.

These fiudwes had been carryini on and they never would tell me how angry they

were with Hg for delaying my flovernment. I had a couple of conferences

with Uhiei Junie Groner an ,- had the same effect on me as he has on you

r

wton he manta to crac; he whip. We had no library here. Only small working

libraries in our chambers. The Denartment of Justice was very gracious about it.

 

 They came to realize it was almost a scandal for the most important
Circuit Court in the United States not to have a librar*. We had to cart
out’books, from the Disrict Building and if I understand it correctly that
library was there by courtesy and sufferance. As long as it is there it
is available. Books of law are just as straight in reading law when
owned by the D. C. Bar Associatio; , though owned by the Government.

On the question of court reporters and civil proceduire, Homer Cummings

was the leader in ‘uv' '{er I shall never forget the situation that

existed. Judge Miller, who always resents my calling him rJudge”, but

coming fr0m_Kentucky when a man learned in the law arises to his position

we say “Judge“ Miller. He will hear me out. Walter Bastian hadn't

Started running for office in the American Bar A.sociation at that time and
possibly he might not have had as constant an attendance ten years ago as
Judge Miller. But the ABA had given up in regard to the passage of a statute

J"
I

that woulu result in .ie creation of rules of civil procedure. Cummings
Look the floor, went to work, got tie =‘~ 5 and finally the evolution of
rules of civil nrocedure. Don’t think I don‘t remember the flurry in the
District of Columbia when that was done. I had had some experience in the
comnon law field in West Virginia. I wasn't too ill at ease there as I was
some nlace else. In Kentucky we r ,' ,; 'he New York code, had had a

code for some years. I took the rules

New York rules and f, g at home. But there were criticisms, fear of the
new; elimination of coma s and repetitious language, which we sort of
thought was a Ion» of sanctum sanctorum of the lawyer. A great service

was rendered. From time to time there will be amendments, correction if

needed. A

 

 I shall memtion a few things about our reporter system, court reporters.
I was shocked when I cantdown here and found the situation that existed among

our court reporters. We put through an increase in personnel, in salary of

personnel. I recall when Justin Miller was Chairman of the Conference of Circuit

judges he made a study of that problem, made a report and the result that occurred.
I won't attempt to run this further in regard to that field but there are a
dozen other things, some of them major. So—called minor changes that help a
but we can't live in the past. You can't live in the present. You have got
keep our eyes t 3 - ”ront and use our brains and hearts in making out lives
~ i

kind of lives that they should be. The work of the judges here in the DiStTle

of Columbia is most important work. The work of judges any place is most im—
portant work. Comparisons are odious they say. but it just happens that I know

and believe every judge in the District of Columbia has the capacity for the posi-
tion he occupies. I an better acquainted with some of them than others but

have had an opportunity to see the working of law in the District of Columbia.

I don't see how it could be possible in the selection of the number of judges

that are here that you could have a stronger group of judges than you have got.

Of course, judges have differences of opinion, but it is a question of independence,
intelligence and courage of men. Whether others agree or not coesn't count. And
sometimes it has happened that on a given occasion a judge may be on the losing

,
I

side, and after tie passage of time must give way to this Court, and the judge

doesn't like is. There is necessarily a difference in viewpoint, in training in
1.4.

the law. You may be mad at a judge doesniiwlike itsw There is necessarily a

difference in viewpoint, in trainingwin the law. You may be mad at a judge.

 

 #8 or 72 hours after he decides a case against you but after that you have 1?
acquiesce and bow to the result. Seriously, I am proud of my position, and I
am proud of the justices of the United States and to be your Circuit Justice.

A lot of people have panaceas for the ills of the bar. I would be unnatural
if I didn’t have the cures of a sick world’s diseases. My cure is law and
order. I don't believe that we will have the kind of a world that we should
have until rules that we call law bring disorder into order. In my judgment it
is a long—range program. Peoples of the world with governments, characteristics,
attributes, and objectives so Eifferent from ours must have time in which to get
their house in order. I believe and I have the faith to believe that the spiral
working in the field of law and order will finally right the whole ship. That

doesn't mean we ought to Sit down and possibly go to sleep while other folks are
waking. We must be awake, alive, alert to problems abroad and at home. We must

be strong because so far as I am_concerned it will in my View be a long time before

things become as tranquil as we would have them. The effects of war and the rift

will be a Iona time. You have to keep alive,.awake and have continuous effort

in order for our civilization, the civilization that we know may survive. You
have to be strong at home. You have to be strong economically. And above all

here is where the judiciary c mes in. The judiciary must have the res so

’people. We have no army and navy or marine corps to enforce our decreek

:-
L

St far as I know, —— well I can recall a couple o: instances where honor and

recognition as given to the decree or one court but the function of the court and

that not .nly aces for the high courts, low courts, but all courts, and the work

of the court, .he respect that our people have

.C' ‘
A

or the courts will be a real

 

 contribution to ’3 that we must have here at home, in order to
the success Oi our hopes.
W“ . .
A gentleman gaveAa book the other day, a DOCK of quotations, his own com-

pilation, and l j .~ " opened it to his chapter on courage. And the

first quotation that _ ” : ye was one from Seneca. And it was, ”Courage

leads us to health; Fear leads to death.5 It struck me as being peculiarly

applicable in our troubled worlfl‘ We have a courage and we will act. We have
demonstrated it many, many times. As a LatiOL and as a people. One of the things
tLat makes me proud of the judiciary is the courage that they have. Independent
as far >s the winds that blow outside of the courtroom and with courage, the
judiciary of our country are enabled to withstand gales that go around them, and
the judiciary of our country today haS; and will continue have, and I know no

parcel of the judic a “'«i will and does not have the courage that a judge, a

just judge must haw ' ' ' to fill the soot And the honor that is their rank.

1

 

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 .‘

This Conference is only for the 17th. They are having

a closed session on the 18th, but the actual Conference

is just for the one day.

 

 Invitations Accepted

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

WASHINGTON I, D C.

WILBUR K. MILLER

ASSOCIATE JUSTICE

May 17, 19u8 RECEIVED

H“ ‘8 q H? A“ "18

E
AtBERSOFTH
CHCHIEFJUS 1105

Dear mr. Chief Justice:

On behalf of the Committee on
Arrangements I extend to you an invitation
to be present at our Judicial Conference
which will be held in the United States
Court of Appeals court room at 10:00
o‘clock Thursday morning, JUne 17.

The Conference will be happy to
have you attend whenever you can. we very
much hope that it will be possible for you
to honor us with your presence.

Cordially yours,

(L}Lbé’w//C/. W

Honorable Fred M. Vinson

Chief Justice of the United States
Supreme Court Building

washington, D. C.

 

 HENRY F’. CHANDLER
DIRECTOR

ELMORE WH ITEHU RST
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OF THE
UNITED STATES COURTS

SUPREME COURT BUILDING
WASHINGTON 13, D. C.

1‘ LILLE

/

1/” ‘

WILL SHAFROTH

CHIEF OF THE DIVISION OF
PROCEDURAL STUDIES AND STATISTICS

 

 State of the Judicial Business in the District of Columbia

The District Court

Civil Cases

The total number of civil cases filed in the United States Dis-
trict Court for the District of Columbia after a slight decrease during
the first two years of the war and an increase during the fiscal years
lth and 19h5 reached a considerably higher level during l9h6 which has
been approximately maintained since that time. The figures on civil cases
commenced are as follows:

19u1 19h2 19u5 19th 19u5 19h6 19h7 19h8 (estimated)

6,u90 6,288 6,076 6,798 6,868 8,525 8,12h 7,900
The fluctuations in the total have been largely due to divorce and
insanity cases. The number of cases begun 1n these categories has
been as follows:

19h1 19h2 19u5 19th 19t5 19h6 19u7 19h8 (estimaed)
Divorce 2,562 2,128 2,519 2,952 2,929 u,161 5,1hh 2,700
Insanity 1,279 1,h51 1,6h1 1,555 1,616 1,696 2,122 2,250

Only about one in four of the divorce cases are contested, ac-
cording to the assignment commissioners and the insanity cases usually
are referred to the Mental Health Commission and seldom involve a trial.
If these two classes of cases be subtracted from the totals we have the
following:

Civil 19h1 19u2 19h5 19th 19h5 19h6 19h7 19u8 (estimated)
All cases 6,h90 6,288 6,076 6,798 6,868 8,525 8,12h 7,900

Divorce &
Insanity 5,6u1 5,559 h,160 u,h85 u,5t5 5,857 5,266 h,950

Remainder 2,8h9 2,729 1,916 2,515 2,525 2,h66 2,858 2,950

It thus appears that fluctuations in civil cases other than

divorce and insanity have not bggn as large as for all civil cases,

 

 -2-
although the increasa since the end of the war has amounted to more than
25 per cent. This increase has been mainly in private cases, which in
general take much more of the time of the court in proportion to their num-
bers than do government cases. The increase in this type of case has been
relatively much smaller than in the 8h district courts in the MB states,
where the number of private cases has almost doubled since the war.‘ The
fluctuation in the number of private cases filed in the 8h districts has
been as follows:

1911 19h2 19h5 191k 1915 19u6 19h? 19h8 (estimated)

1u,565 15,650 10,261 9,895 10,057 12,581 19,650 20,500

The contested civil cases disposed of in the district, i.e. all
those which have been calendared except non-contested divorce cases as
reported by the Assignment Commissioner have run as follows:

l9h0 l9hl 19h2 l9h5 lth l9h5 19h6 19h7 19h8 (estimated)
Jury 882 866 861 791 h79 L96 M52 651 750

Non-jury 1,555 1,051 1,058 1,165 1,589 821 1,091 1,229 1,000

Total 2,257 1,917 1,919 1,95h 1,828 1,517 1,5h5 1,860 1,750

The pending caseload at the end of the year has shown a steady
increase since 19h5 and as of May 51, stood at 6,256, not far from twice
as many as on June 50, 19h5. The variation in the pending caseload at the
end of the fiscal year has been as follows:

19h0 19hl 19h2 19h5 19hh 19h5 l9b6 l9h7 19h8 (June 1)

u,679 h,265 5,919 5,2hh 5,988 h,515 5,707 5,885 6,256

The breakdown of the pending caseload at the end of the third
quarter of the current fiscal year, March 51, l9h8 will give a fairly

accurate idea of its present composition:

 

 -3-

Civil Cases pending in the District of Columbia
by nature of suit as of March 5lst, 19h8

Total Cases 6,55h
United States Cases 507
Private Cases 5,827

U. S. Plaintiff 125
Land condemnation ll
ORA no
PISA
Other enforcement
Food and Drug Act
Negotiable instruments
Other contracts
Other U. S. Pltf.

U. S. Defendant
Tort Claims Act
Habeas Corpus
Tax Suits
Pat. cases Sec. #915
Renegotiation
Enjoining Federal Agencies
war Risk Insurance
National Life Insurance
Other

Federal Question
Copyright
FlSA
Miller Act
Patent
Other Federal Question

Admiralty

General Local Jurisdiction 5,799
Contract actions ABO
Real property actions 577
Personal Injury ~ M. V. 652
Other torts 568‘
Divorce & Maintenance 5,556
Insanity 165
Probate 18
Adoption & Guardianship 13h
Actions by or against Local Official #7
All Other 72

 

 Invitations Accepted

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. CHAMBERS 0' ‘ '
JUDICIAL CONFERENCE t 7H
——*-——-—~ CHIEFJUSTICE t

Thursday
June 17

The Judicial Conference for the District of Columbia
will hold an all—day session in the court room of the United
States Court of Appeals next Thursday, June 17th, beginning at
10 o'clock.

The Chief Justice of the United States, the Attorney
General, and the Chief Justice of the Court of Appeals will ad-
dress the meeting. The conference will then proceed to a discus—
sion and expression of opinion upon five proposals relating to
procedure in the courts, which have been suggested by the several
bar associations for the joint consideration of practicing lawyers
and the judges of the several courts.

The discussion of each proposal will be initiated by
two speakers designated in advance and will be continued by the
delegates and judges. At the conclusion of each discussion, a
vote of the conference will be taken upon the proposal.

The conference proper will be composed of the judges
and a limited number of delegates designated by the several bar
associations, who have agreed to devote the entire day to the
conference and to be prepared to discuss and to vote upon the
several proposals to be considered.

In addition to the participating delegates, a number
of guests have been invited to attend the session.

ALL MEMBERS OF THE BAR ARE INVITED
TO ATTEND THE CONFERENCE.

If time permits after the conclusion of each discussion by the
delegates, other lawyers in attendance will have opportunity to
express their views.

This conference is of great importance to the bar, as
it affords an opportunity for lawyers to discuss with the judges
of our courts, in free and open conference, proposals for the
improvement of the administration of justice in this jurisdiction.
The delegates who will vote upon the proposals under consideration,
will be greatly aided by the preSence and advice of interested
members of the bar.

KENNETH N. PARKINSON,
Secretary.

 

 -u-

It will be observed that over one-half of all pending civil cases
are divorce and maintenance cases (5,556 out of 6,55h). The tort cases
probably constitute a greater burden on the court. As of March 51, there
were 1,220 of them between private persons pending and 18 under the Tort
Claims Act. Many of these have to be tried. Contract and real property
cases also account for a substantial part of the court's business. Since
the war, tort, contract, and real property actions have all shown a decided
increase in the number of cases filed annually.

The time required for reaching a case from the time fl;was'calendar
as estimated by the assignment commissioner was greatly reduced during the
war but has been climbing again since its end. Here are the figures:

Months required from calendaring to trial.
Jury cases Non—jury cases
Oct. 1939 an 25
June 50, 19h0 l5
" 1931 12
l9h2
19h}
l9hh
l9h5
191:6

19u7
May 51, l9h8

1.4

‘xN\OO\Ul t’U’IOOi—‘CD

i—J

This compares with a median period from issue to trial in the 8h
districts for the fiscal year 19h? of 5.9 months in Jury cases and h.8 months
in non—Jury cases. But because of the different character of the business in
the District of Columbia, comparisons with other federal courts must be made

very cautiously. For example, the number of trials per Judge in the 8h dis-

tricts in 19h? was 28 civil and 15 criminal, compared with 56 civil and 52

criminal in the district.

 

 .5-
Criminal Cases
While the civil business of this court is different from that
of most district courts, it is in the criminal cases where~the major dif-
ference lies. A study by the Statistics Committee of the Judicial Con-

ference of time sheets kept by 11 judges in as many districts for a recent

period of h months showed that only 15 per cent of the time of those Judges

in court and in chambers was devoted to criminal cases. But in the District
of Columbia, three Judges or 25 per cent of the manpower of the court are
constantly working on criminal cases and additional judges sometimes are

used.

During the current year, it is estimated that over half the time
of a fourth Judge has been used and at times more than four Judges have been
trying criminal cases. Furthermore many of these criminal cases are of the
greatest importance - not only cases involving the most serious offenses but
also those of tremendous public interest. During the past winter, there
were days when three separate cases in this court appeared simultaneously
on the front pages of the local newspapers. The strain on the judge of such
trials cannot be ignored even though it does not appear in figures on the
caseload.

The number of criminal cases filed in the district court decreased
during the war, contrary to the experience in most districts, and after an
increase in l9h6 and 19h? will this year be lower than in any recent year
as shown by the following statement giving the number of criminal cases
filed per year:

19110 19111 19142 1911} 19M; 1915 19h6 19h? 19148 (estimated)

1,870 2,012 2,051 2,126 1,751 1,1169 1,759 1,755 1,150

As of May 51, there were 192 cases pending on the criminal

calendar. The number of criminal cases reported by the assignment

 

 -6-
commissioner as "available for trial" on that date was lhl, not including
some 300 cases involv1ng fugitive defendants, defendants in the armed forces

and insane defendants.

Three hundred and sixty—five criminal cases have been disposed of

by Jury trial during the first eleven months of the current fiscal year.

Court trials of criminal cases are comparatively rare in this district, 1h
in 19h? out of a total of 58k, compared with a ho per cent ratio of court
trials to all criminal trials in other districts.

Since the court took over the handling of the criminal calendar
about three years ago, notable progress has been made in the disposition of
criminal cases. As of October 1, 19h5, there were 1&2 triable cases on the
criminal calendar from 6 to 12 months old, not including cases involving
defendants who were fugitives, insane or unavailable because in the armed
forces.

Of the cases on the criminal calendar on May 51, 1948, 53 were
over six months old and only 5 of these were available for trial. There
were 68 defendants in a total of 71 cases in jail May 51 awaiting trial, ho
of these having been indicted during May.

On March 51 the total number of defendants in pending criminal
cases was 609. Two hundred and ninety six of these were fugitives, in the
armed forces or insane, leaving a total of 315 undisposed of. The offenses
with which these defendants were Charged are as follows:

Total 513
Federal Offenses:

Nat'l Motor Vehicle Theft Act

Fraud and other theft

Narcotics

Liquor, Internal Revenue

Antitrust violations
Impersonation federal officer

 

 -7-
War Offenses:

Selective Service
Other war

All other federal offenses
Local Offenses:

Murder

Manslaughter

Robbery

Assault

Burglary

Unauthorized use of vehicles
Embezzlement

Forgery

Grand larceny

Receiving stolen property
Rape

Other sex

Abortion

Gambling

Nonsupport

All other local

Of h5 criminal cases tried by juries in April of this year, one
half were tried less than two months after the indictment had been found.
Cases disposed of without trial are closed in half that time or less, in
the majority of instances.

On October 51, 19h5, the earliest report on criminal cases from

the assignment commissioner which I have in my file, there were MES cases

on the criminal calendar, 526 of which were available for trial. By May
31, l9h6, the number of cases available for trial had been reduced to 195.
In another year the reduction was down to lhl and although the number of
available cases rose to 258 at the end of the summer vacation last year,
that is as of September 50, 19h7, it was back to lhl as of May 51. When
it is observed that 1h9 criminal cases were disposed of during the month
of May, it is obvious from these figures that the criminal calendar is in

excellent condition.

 

 —8-

Cases Under Advisement

 

As of March 51, there were no cases in this court which had been
held under advisement more than 60 days. There was no other circuit with

an equal record.

Via itiaaiai'tss

During the current fiscal year, there have been three visiting Judges

sitting in the district for a total of 66 days. Their time has been

about equally divided between civil and criminal cases.

The Court of Appeals

 

The number of cases filed in the United States Court of Appeals for
the District of Columbia has fluctuated considerably during the last ten
years as is shown by the following figures:

1959 19ho 19u1 1912 19k} 19th 19h5 19u6 19h? l9h8 (estimated)
5th 38h 271 5A5 270 280 282 291 26h 550

As a result of the decided increase in cases this year, the pending
case load has increased also. The number of cases pending at the end of

each fiscal year since l9hl has been as follows:

19u1 19h2 19h; 19th 19u5 19u6 1917 19h8 (May 51)
170 210 182 160 1A7 18h 16h 267

The number of cases disposed of after hearing or submission has been
as follows:

19h0 19h1 .49h2 19h} 19hh 19h5 19h6 19h? 19h8 (thru May 51)
186 187 186 185 196 171 lhh 182 121

The estimate for the fiscal year 19h8 through June 50th is 158.

 

 -9-

The increase in cases filed this year has occurred in administrative

agency cases as well as in civil cases from the United States district
‘courts. In the latter class there has been an increase in both United
States cases and private cases. In the private cases the increase in con—
tract real property and tort cases has been substantial, reflecting a
similar increase in the district court.

The median time from docketing to disposition in the Court of Appeals
has come down considerably from the time when the figures were first com—
piled in 19h2, although it is still perceptibly longer than the median for
all circuits in each year. The figures are as follows:

Median Time Interval From Docketing to Disposition, D. C. Court of

Appeals for Cases Heard or Submitted

Cases Interval (months)

All circuits D. C. I All-circuits L D..C.

19u2 2076 177 7.7 11.8

19h5 2226 185 6 10.8

19th 21u8 196 10.0
19u5 1992 171 .
19h6 1805 1th .
19A? 1887 182 .

 

 

The breakdown for the United States Circuit Court of Appeals for the
District of Columbia and for all circuits into cases from administrative
agencies, and civil and criminal cases terminated in the fiscal year 19h?
after hearing or submission was as follows:

From docketing to final disposition
Total Administrative Civil Criminal
Interval Interval Interval Interval
Cases (months) Cases (months), Cases (months) Cases (months)

All
Circuits 1,887 6.9 281 8.0 1,180 6.7 279 7-6
and D. c.

D. c. 182 8.5 16 6.9 125 8.5 39 8.h

 

 -10..

This shows that the administrative agency cases in the district were
more quickly disposed of than in all circuit courts of appeals, while
both civil and criminal appeals took somewhat longer in the District.

Time interval tables for the various circuit courts of appeals are
found in table Bu of the Annual Report of the Administrative Office. The
breakdown of 19h7 figures between administrative, civil and criminal cases
under the various headings shown in table Eh for all circuit courts of
appeals and for the District of Columbia is given in a table which is
attached as an appendix to this statement.

The difficult and important character of some of the litigation
coming before this court is an intangible factor which cannot well be

portrayed by figures. There is no doubt however that it must be taken

into account in making comparison with other circuits or with the general

caseload of the country. The following figures show the caseload per
Judge by circuits for each year since lth and for the first three quar—

ters for the fiscal year l9h8:

 

 -11-

CASELCAD PER CI