Performance of the District Courts

Fiscal Year 2014 - 2015

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GOAL 3: TO PROVIDE DUE PROCESS AND EQUAL PROTECTION OF THE LAW TO ALL WHO HAVE BUSINESS BEFORE THE COURT; AND TO DEMONSTRATE INTEGRITY IN ALL PROCEDURES AND DECISIONS


Objective

3.3 To give individual attention to cases, deciding them without undue disparity among like cases and upon legally relevant factors.

Intent of the Objective

This objective upholds the standard that litigants should receive individual attention without variation due to the judge assigned or any legally irrelevant characteristics of the parties. To the extent possible, persons similarly situated should receive similar treatment. The objective further requires that court decisions and actions be in proper proportion to the nature and magnitude of the case and to the characteristics of the parties. Variations should not be predictable due to legally irrelevant factors, and the outcome of a case should not depend on which judge within a court presides over a matter. The objective relates to all decisions, including sentences in criminal cases, the conditions of bail, the amount of child support, the appointment of legal counsel, and the use of court-supervised alternatives to formal litigation.

Responses To Objective

  1. Actions taken in FY 2014-2015 to give individual attention to cases, deciding them without undue disparity among like cases and upon legally relevant factors.

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QuestionIdQuestionStatementResponse
857691205What actions, if any, did your court take in FY 2014-2015 to give individual attention to cases, deciding them without undue disparity among like cases and upon legally relevant factors?Actions taken in FY 2014-2015 to give individual attention to cases, deciding them without undue disparity among like cases and upon legally relevant factors.
(Hover on the chart for more information and click on the chart to see which courts chose that response.)
Actions taken in FY 2014-2015 to give individual attention to cases, deciding them without undue disparity among like cases and upon legally relevant factors.
Refresh Charts
Additional actions taken by the courts to address this objective
4th JDC
Civil and criminal judges routinely met to discuss their needs and any problems that arose. These meetings allowed the hearing officers and the judges to focus in on any issues of concern and to coordinate with justice partners such as the district attorney, sheriff and indigent defender board members.
14th JDC
The 14th JDC implemented a commissioner to handle right to counsel court, felony arraignments, misdemeanor arraignments and trials.
15th JDC
The court used a standardized bail bond schedule for misdemeanor offenses.
16th JDC
The Court provided integrity, fairness and equality in all matters before the court and maintained a pre-set standardized bond schedule.
24th JDC
The 24th JDC utilized a bond range chart to provide consistency in setting bonds, but reviewed the particulars of each case and defendant. In domestic child support and alimony matters, the payments are determined and set according to guidelines set by Louisiana statute.
28th JDC
The 28th JDC amended court rules to provide for bond setting hearings to be performed by video presentation or telephone.
32nd JDC
The court used a standard bail bond schedule for most misdemeanor cases. Also, a uniform fine schedule for traffic citations and some misdemeanors has been adopted. This allows payment of citations in advance of scheduled court appearances.
Jefferson Parish Juvenile Court
The court continued to work with the Annie E. Casey Foundation regarding juvenile detention alternative and sentencing practices and continued the use of specialized docketing to allocate similar case types on designated days.
ResponseResponse_Court
Additional actions taken by the courts to address this objective8 courts (4th JDC, 14th JDC, 15th JDC, 16th JDC, 24th JDC, 28th JDC, 32nd JDC, Jefferson Parish Juvenile Court)
Continued to address this objective through the actions indicated below, or implemented the following new actions in FY 2014-2015 to address this objective as indicated below:45 courts (1st JDC, 2nd JDC, 3rd JDC, 4th JDC, 5th JDC, 6th JDC, 7th JDC, 8th JDC, 9th JDC, 10th JDC, 11th JDC, 12th JDC, 13th JDC, 14th JDC, 15th JDC, 16th JDC, 17th JDC, 18th JDC, 19th JDC, 20th JDC, 21st JDC, 22nd JDC, 23rd JDC, 24th JDC, 25th JDC, 26th JDC, 28th JDC, 29th JDC, 30th JDC, 31st JDC, 32nd JDC, 33rd JDC, 34th JDC, 35th JDC, 36th JDC, 37th JDC, 38th JDC, 39th JDC, 40th JDC, 42nd JDC, East Baton Rouge Juvenile Court, Jefferson Parish Juvenile Court, Orleans Parish Civil District Court, Orleans Parish Criminal District Court, Orleans Parish Juvenile Court)
Developed or used a standardized bail bond schedule38 courts (1st JDC, 2nd JDC, 3rd JDC, 4th JDC, 5th JDC, 6th JDC, 7th JDC, 8th JDC, 9th JDC, 10th JDC, 11th JDC, 12th JDC, 14th JDC, 15th JDC, 16th JDC, 17th JDC, 18th JDC, 19th JDC, 20th JDC, 21st JDC, 22nd JDC, 24th JDC, 25th JDC, 26th JDC, 28th JDC, 29th JDC, 30th JDC, 31st JDC, 32nd JDC, 33rd JDC, 34th JDC, 35th JDC, 37th JDC, 38th JDC, 40th JDC, 42nd JDC, Jefferson Parish Juvenile Court, Orleans Parish Criminal District Court)
Developed or used some form of sentencing or dispositional guidelines26 courts (2nd JDC, 3rd JDC, 4th JDC, 7th JDC, 8th JDC, 9th JDC, 11th JDC, 14th JDC, 15th JDC, 18th JDC, 19th JDC, 20th JDC, 22nd JDC, 25th JDC, 26th JDC, 28th JDC, 31st JDC, 34th JDC, 36th JDC, 37th JDC, 38th JDC, 42nd JDC, Jefferson Parish Juvenile Court, Orleans Parish Civil District Court, Orleans Parish Criminal District Court, Orleans Parish Juvenile Court)
Developed or used some method of monitoring and reporting on cases to analyze and communicate disparities in sentencing or civil awards3 courts (11th JDC, 36th JDC, Jefferson Parish Juvenile Court)
Developed or used standardized Boykin language41 courts (1st JDC, 2nd JDC, 3rd JDC, 4th JDC, 5th JDC, 6th JDC, 7th JDC, 8th JDC, 9th JDC, 10th JDC, 11th JDC, 12th JDC, 13th JDC, 14th JDC, 15th JDC, 17th JDC, 18th JDC, 19th JDC, 20th JDC, 21st JDC, 23rd JDC, 24th JDC, 25th JDC, 26th JDC, 28th JDC, 29th JDC, 30th JDC, 31st JDC, 33rd JDC, 34th JDC, 35th JDC, 36th JDC, 37th JDC, 38th JDC, 39th JDC, 40th JDC, 42nd JDC, East Baton Rouge Juvenile Court, Jefferson Parish Juvenile Court, Orleans Parish Criminal District Court, Orleans Parish Juvenile Court)
Did not address in FY 2014-20153 courts (27th JDC, Caddo Parish Juvenile Court, East Baton Rouge Family Court)
Used focus groups to solicit feedback on the court's equality and fairness in the treatment of court users1 court (Orleans Parish Criminal District Court)

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