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Caseloads of the Courts of Washington

Superior Court
Court Activity Trends by Type of Case - 2008 to 2012

2008 2009 % Chg (1) 2010 % Chg (1) 2011 % Chg (1) 2012 % Chg (1)
Filings
Criminal (2)  44,976  40,636  -9.6 %  38,579  -5.1 %  39,017  1.1 %  39,076  0.2 % 
Civil (3)  135,553  142,664  5.2 %  139,616  -2.1 %  137,852  -1.3 %  131,374  -4.7 % 
Domestic/UIFSA  38,633  39,985  3.5 %  41,456  3.7 %  40,824  -1.5 %  40,383  -1.1 % 
Probate  17,142  16,902  -1.4 %  16,919  0.1 %  17,670  4.4 %  17,766  0.5 % 
Guardianship  2,481  2,507  1 %  2,600  3.7 %  2,549  -2 %  2,559  0.4 % 
Adoption/Parentage (4)(5)  10,055  10,374  3.2 %  10,000  -3.6 %  9,289  -7.1 %  8,958  -3.6 % 
Mental Illness  9,730  9,525  -2.1 %  9,780  2.7 %  10,558  8 %  10,399  -1.5 % 
Juvenile Dependency  24,113  20,702  -14.1 %  21,437  3.6 %  19,899  -7.2 %  19,861  -0.2 % 
Juvenile Offender (2)  22,172  20,360  -8.2 %  18,568  -8.8 %  16,281  -12.3 %  14,418  -11.4 % 
Total Filings  304,855  303,655  -0.4 %  298,955  -1.5 %  293,939  -1.7 %  284,794  -3.1 % 
Resolutions (6)
Criminal (2)  47,313  42,885  -9.4 %  38,979  -9.1 %  38,504  -1.2 %  39,128  1.6 % 
Civil (3)  133,295  137,734  3.3 %  138,413  0.5 %  136,833  -1.1 %  132,188  -3.4 % 
Domestic/UIFSA  37,218  36,898  -0.9 %  39,011  5.7 %  39,652  1.6 %  39,112  -1.4 % 
Probate  17,026  16,584  -2.6 %  16,525  -0.4 %  17,524  6 %  17,506  -0.1 % 
Guardianship  2,625  2,482  -5.4 %  2,466  -0.6 %  2,364  -4.1 %  2,571  8.8 % 
Adoption/Parentage (4)(5)  10,446  10,194  -2.4 %  10,218  0.2 %  9,868  -3.4 %  9,146  -7.3 % 
Mental Illness  9,293  8,747  -5.9 %  9,583  9.6 %  10,254  7 %  10,351  0.9 % 
Juvenile Dependency  24,625  22,301  -9.4 %  21,792  -2.3 %  18,864  -13.4 %  19,343  2.5 % 
Juvenile Offender (2)  22,271  20,565  -7.7 %  19,467  -5.3 %  17,213  -11.6 %  15,041  -12.6 % 
Total Resolutions  304,112  298,390  -1.9 %  296,454  -0.6 %  291,076  -1.8 %  284,386  -2.3 % 
Completions (7)
Criminal (2)  47,508  43,927  -7.5 %  39,422  -10.3 %  38,477  -2.4 %  39,341  2.2 % 
Civil (3)  133,038  137,323  3.2 %  138,202  0.6 %  136,461  -1.3 %  131,833  -3.4 % 
Domestic/UIFSA  37,331  37,006  -0.9 %  39,250  6.1 %  39,835  1.5 %  39,222  -1.5 % 
Probate  15,857  16,170  2 %  14,321  -11.4 %  17,769  24.1 %  15,354  -13.6 % 
Guardianship  2,394  2,193  -8.4 %  2,114  -3.6 %  2,155  1.9 %  2,195  1.9 % 
Adoption/Parentage (4)(5)  10,421  10,120  -2.9 %  10,227  1.1 %  9,837  -3.8 %  9,248  -6 % 
Mental Illness  9,184  7,753  -15.6 %  8,298  7 %  9,628  16 %  10,203  6 % 
Juvenile Dependency  25,447  22,809  -10.4 %  21,608  -5.3 %  19,071  -11.7 %  18,865  -1.1 % 
Juvenile Offender (2)  21,994  20,472  -6.9 %  19,608  -4.2 %  17,448  -11 %  14,844  -14.9 % 
Total Completions  303,174  297,773  -1.8 %  293,050  -1.6 %  290,681  -0.8 %  281,105  -3.3 % 
Non-Trial Proceedings
Criminal (2)  364,855  331,255  -9.2 %  329,504  -0.5 %  336,930  2.3 %  345,213  2.5 % 
Civil (3)  59,150  56,660  -4.2 %  58,891  3.9 %  55,389  -5.9 %  51,582  -6.9 % 
Domestic/UIFSA  96,906  97,502  0.6 %  100,386  3 %  100,608  0.2 %  100,459  -0.1 % 
Probate  8,550  6,763  -20.9 %  7,496  10.8 %  8,141  8.6 %  7,443  -8.6 % 
Guardianship  8,534  8,254  -3.3 %  8,735  5.8 %  8,855  1.4 %  8,783  -0.8 % 
Adoption/Parentage (4)(5)  26,546  27,591  3.9 %  27,343  -0.9 %  24,638  -9.9 %  22,339  -9.3 % 
Mental Illness  13,188  12,170  -7.7 %  15,102  24.1 %  17,383  15.1 %  13,757  -20.9 % 
Juvenile Dependency  100,195  89,544  -10.6 %  94,316  5.3 %  92,027  -2.4 %  92,967  1 % 
Juvenile Offender (2)  111,103  104,716  -5.7 %  102,441  -2.2 %  94,126  -8.1 %  84,932  -9.8 % 
Total Non-Trial Proceedings  789,027  734,455  -6.9 %  744,214  1.3 %  738,097  -0.8 %  727,475  -1.4 % 
Trial Proceedings (8)
Criminal  2,511  2,267  -9.7 %  2,114  -6.7 %  2,025  -4.2 %  1,740  -14.1 % 
Civil (3)  1,396  1,367  -2.1 %  1,237  -9.5 %  1,266  2.3 %  1,161  -8.3 % 
Domestic/UIFSA  2,153  2,285  6.1 %  2,528  10.6 %  2,552  0.9 %  2,641  3.5 % 
Probate  25  31  . %  29  . %  36  . %  24  . % 
Guardianship  33  32  -3 %  31  -3.1 %  31  0 %  26  . % 
Adoption/Parentage (4)(5)  692  700  1.2 %  690  -1.4 %  612  -11.3 %  590  -3.6 % 
Mental Illness  263  256  -2.7 %  289  12.9 %  270  -6.6 %  341  26.3 % 
Juvenile Offender (9)  912  1,035  13.5 %  950  -8.2 %  1,022  7.6 %  975  -4.6 % 
Total Trial Proceedings  7,985  7,973  -0.2 %  7,868  -1.3 %  7,814  -0.7 %  7,498  -4 % 

1 Percentages not shown when numbers are less than 30.
2 Criminal and Juvenile Offender data include counts on "non-charge matters."
3 Prior to 1992, the civil case type included data from the current model now shown as domestic relations, uniform interstate family support act (UIFSA), paternity causes of action, and confidential name changes for victims of domestic violence. Includes "matters filed with the clerk." Refer to the section titled "Caution Regarding Figures Published in Prior Years".
4 Adoption data include relinquishment, termination, and modification causes of action; these sealed cases also include confidential name changes for victims of domestic violence.
5 Adoption data include counts on "pre-placement reports."
6 Resolution signifies that a case has been tried, settled, or otherwise concluded. It occurs when a judicial decision has been rendered (regardless of whether a dispositive document has been filed with the clerk), or when a case has been transferred to another jurisdiction for subsequent adjudication. (For additional information see the Superior Court Glossary.)
7 Completion signifies that the dispositive documents for a case have been filed with the clerk for inclusion in the legal record. In some instances a case can be completed at the point of case resolution; however, a case can never be completed prior to resolution. (For additional information see the Superior Court Glossary.)
8 In addition to jury and non-jury trials, these figures include counts for trials by affidavit and stipulated trials.
9 Juvenile offender proceedings that involve adjudicatory hearings are counted as trials here.

 
 
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