ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the authors deal with fundamental issues surrounding caseflow management and the well-accepted axiom that courts must actively supervise the progress of all cases from filing to disposition. Rather than being antagonists in delay reduction or caseflow management programs, the organized bar often is the court's staunch ally. Policy development supposedly was done by the judges, and administration of such policies was the responsibility of the court manager. In the American Bar Association monograph, the authors identify seven operationally oriented elements that are fundamental to a court's ability to effectively manage caseflow. They are judicial leadership and commitment, consultation with the bar, court supervision of case progress, standards and goals, monitoring and information systems, scheduling for trial date credibility, control of continuances. Beyond the philosophical commitment to court responsibility for management, successful courts use specific proven techniques to operationalize the fundamental elements of effective caseflow management.
