US courts see drop in filings, display strength in ‘trying times’ in 2021

Members of the United States judiciary in 2021 successfully endured a year fraught with challenges, according to a new report from the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. Judicial officers also saw significant drops in filings in 2021.

Last year, total case filings in the U.S. district courts fell 23% to 419,032, according to the 2021 Judicial Business of the United States report.

Civil case filings declined 27% to 344,567, while criminal filings increased by 1% to 74,465, for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2021.

Petitions filed in bankruptcy courts also declined 29% to 434,540, as all 90 bankruptcy courts received fewer petitions.

The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana saw a 4.3% decrease in filings for the fiscal year, at 5,240 total. The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana saw an even steeper decline, with 8.8% fewer filings, for a total of 2,357.

Filings in the regional courts of appeal fell by 8% to 44,546. The overall pattern of decline, the report concluded, was attributed to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Additionally, the number of individuals under post-conviction supervision as of Sept. 30, 2021, was 22,458 — 4% less than the total one year earlier. Cases activated in the pretrial services system, excluding pretrial diversion cases, decreased 5% to 76,367.

Another major decrease was seen among openings of representations by counsel under the Criminal Justice Act, down by 23% to 145,726.

Also released this week was the annual report from Judge Roslynn R. Mauskopf, director of the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, detailing how the judiciary confronted the “uniquely trying times” of 2021.

At the outset, the annual report noted three major challenges the judiciary faced in addition to its other regular endeavors: continued restraints on courts due to fluctuating public health conditions posed by COVID-19, spikes in caseloads spurred by the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol “upheaval,” and heightened cybersecurity threats.

The key focus for 2021, Mauskopf wrote, was keeping the work of the courts moving apace during the second full year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition to outside challenges, the annual report noted the courts’ continued efforts to foster a safe and inclusive workplace, and to improve policies and safeguards to protect court employees from inappropriate workplace conduct.

It also addressed the court’s efforts toward building and retaining a diverse workforce, as well as prioritizing accountability regarding the automated detection of potential financial conflicts for judges.

“All of these varied initiatives and efforts over the course of 2021 share something in common,” Mauskopf wrote. “They underscore the Judiciary’s commitment to maintaining the public’s trust and confidence.

“That commitment is foundational in a democratic system based on separate and co-equal branches of government,” she continued. “The past year has shown that the public and the rest of government can rely on the dedication, resourcefulness, innovation, and hard work of our judges and employees in the most trying of times.”