Nevada court caseloads rise during 2007

RENO -- The number of criminal cases filed in Nevada courts held relatively steady during fiscal year 2007, but the year saw double-digit increases in both civil and traffic cases, according to an annual report by the Nevada Supreme Court.

The report "details the current caseloads of every court in the state, and also provides comparative statistics for past years to demonstrate the increasing workloads our judges must address," Chief Justice William Maupin said in a written statement.

At the Nevada Supreme Court, 2,238 cases were filed during the fiscal year that ended June 30, a 3 percent increase over 2006, the report said. Justices during that time disposed of 2,193 cases -- 64 more than the previous year.

The Eighth Judicial District in Clark County -- encompassing the state's largest population hub in and around Las Vegas -- remains the busiest. During the year, 87,534 total cases were filed at the District Court level, compared with 83,271 in 2006.

The caseload equates to 2,501 cases per judge, the report said.

In Reno, 22,201 district court cases were filed in the Second Judicial District, an increase from 20,965, for a per-judge caseload of 1,850.

Criminal cases filed in district, justice and municipal courts statewide rose about 1 percent, from 153,567 in 2006 to 156,170, the report said.

Civil filings statewide jumped 11 percent, to 172,534 from 155,204.

Charges for traffic and parking violations surged 14 percent, to 862,532 from 755,139, the report said.

On a bright note, the report said juvenile traffic filings dropped 8 percent statewide, from 7,095 last year to 6,536, though there were large increases and decreases noted in individual courts and jurisdictions.