A troubling trend: Civil and family court cases are mounting in Dallas County

A number of Dallas County commissioners in latest months have been complaining in regards to the mounting backlog of pending instances within the felony and misdemeanor felony courts.

We’ve shared their concern and agree that the issue has wrongly delayed justice for victims and disadvantaged the liberty of some jailed defendants who can’t afford to make bail whereas ready to go to courtroom.

However sadly that’s not the extent of the rising downside of clogged courtroom instances in Dallas County. State knowledge reveals that instances are getting backed up in civil and household courts as effectively.

We’re hesitant to color the problem with a broad brush; some particular person judges get rid of extra instances extra rapidly and extra cost-effectively than others. Nonetheless, state and county officers rightly take a look at the productiveness of teams of courts as an entire to determine troubling tendencies.

That seems to be the case within the 5 county courts-at-law, the place the whole backlog of pending instances has ballooned 20% within the final 4 years, from 5,415 in 2018 to six,784 in 2021, in response to the State Workplace of Court docket Administration. These courts deal with automotive accidents, imminent area, private harm and different sorts of disputes.

Within the 13 state district civil courts, which deal with such instances as medical malpractice and product legal responsibility, the backlog has crept up from 18,051 in 2018 to twenty,150 final yr — or 12%.

In Dallas County’s seven household courts, the uptick was much less extreme. Pending divorce, little one protecting, adoption and different instances grew from 54,243 to 55,242 — or 2% — throughout the identical time interval.

Despite the fact that the pandemic slowed courtroom exercise, it doesn’t account for the extent of the backlogs. County Commissioner John Wiley Value, who has been sharply crucial of the courts, doesn’t suppose COVID-19 is a number one think about the issue.

It’s unlucky that the Dallas Bar Affiliation wouldn’t supply us a remark in regards to the rising backlog of instances, although for 35 years it has carried out judicial analysis polls in non-election years.

However Value was joyful to speak about the issue. He and Commissioner J.J. Koch have been sounding the alarm in regards to the backlog since spring.

Whereas Value has centered his complaints on the clogged felony courts, he instructed us he’s troubled by the backlogs in others, too. “Different individuals are entitled to their aid as effectively,” he stated.

“This isn’t political to me. It’s about, ‘Are we going to run environment friendly county authorities?’”

It’s about that for us, as effectively.

And whereas we nonetheless don’t but assist his latest suggestion to chop judges’ pay till the backlog downside is resolved, Value’s dedication to analyzing the problem and urgent for enchancment within the identify of justice is the fitting trigger.

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