The Time-For-Trial Task Force gathered statistics as to the average duration of criminal cases in superior court. The task force was primarily interested in the average length of time that it takes for criminal cases to come to trial. Because less than 5% of superior court criminal cases go to trial, however, the task force also gathered information on the duration of all superior court criminal cases (whether or not they went to trial).

Accordingly, the following pages include some information on the average duration between filing of charges and commencement of trial ("filing to commencement") for the limited category of cases that actually went to trial, as well as information on the average duration between filing of charges and resolution of the case ("filing to resolution") for the full set of superior court criminal cases. In general, the "filing to resolution" statistics are somewhat more reliable than the "filing to commencement" statistics, both because they are based on a much larger sample of data and because they are based on distinctions in the data that have been tracked for years. Both sets of numbers, however, are necessary for an understanding of the full picture.

The first chart shows the average duration, state-wide, between filing and resolution for all superior court criminal cases between the years 1995 and 2001. Each year is shown separately. The task force was interested in learning whether these statistics had changed over the course of these seven years. The task force concluded, after noting the unusual circumstances for the year 1996, that "the statistics show little variation during this time period." Task Force Minutes, July 26, 2002, page 1.

The second chart shows the average duration between filing and resolution for all superior court criminal cases for the most recent year, 2001, and breaks out the numbers for each individual county. The statistics vary significantly from county to county.

The third chart shows the average duration between filing and commencement of trial for all superior court criminal cases for the most recent year, 2001, and breaks out the numbers for each individual county. Again, the statistics vary from county to county. The number of cases for each county is too small for drawing accurate conclusions. A comparison of the second and third charts shows how much longer it takes to resolve cases that end up going to trial than those that are resolved without a trial.

• Average Duration from Filing to Resolution Superior Court Criminal Cases, State-Wide, 1995-2001

• Average and Median Duration from Filing to Resolution, Superior Court Criminal Cases, 2001

• Average and Mean Duration from Filing to Commencement of Trial, Superior Court Criminal Cases, 2001