Wayne Court Reforms Target Slow Pace of Justice.

DETROIT -- Today, the 31 judges in the criminal division of Wayne County Circuit Court will end a month of trial work in which they each averaged slightly more than one trial per week. But also today -- in an effort to reverse a decade-long trend of fewer trials and, thus, slower justice -- the judges will receive directives that include being monitored to make sure they are logging full days and conducting more trials.

Maura Corrigan, chief justice of the Michigan Supreme Court, and Wayne County Prosecutor Michael Duggan have criticized the judges for what they say are lax work habits.

Criminal trials have plummeted 54 percent in Wayne County in the past decade, from 3,831 in 1991 to 1,772 in 2001, despite the fact that the number of new cases annually remained the same at about 15,000 each year, The Detroit News found.

During a six-day check in the same time period of the courtrooms after 2 p.m., The News found 46 percent were locked or empty. Judges need to be held accountable for these delays. Cases that languish needlessly deny the accused their constitutional right to a speedy trial.

The decline in productivity also forced the Wayne County Jail to release thousands more prisoners for lack of bed space. The News has found that at least 1,085 people freed under the jail's administrative release program in the past three years have been charged with committing new crimes.

The reforms to be put in place by the court's co-chief judges are the most visible commitment to change. The reforms expected to be announced today include:
* The five judges who exclusively handle basic procedural matters (such as arraignments) will now be expected to each hear at least 20 bench trials a month.
* An official from the State Court Administrator's Office will be assigned to Wayne Circuit Court to help judges manage their dockets.
* Court officials will monitor courtrooms to ensure that judges keep regular hours.

Judge Leonard Townsend defended his colleagues' diligence. The changes "are going to be counterproductive because you can't make everybody work at the same pace," he said. "I know some very good judges who work slow." Judge Kym Worthy said she cannot -- and will not -- work faster. "You're not trying to try these cases at breakneck speed. I can't possibly do more. ... I'm not going to rush," she said.

Date: 2015-01-12; view: 572