We're reviewing the data on declining dockets at the
Appellate Court for the years 2011 through 2021 – today, the
criminal docket.
Once again – just as with the civil docket – the
First District saw the biggest drop from 2011 to 2021, with new
criminal filings down 57.8%. The Second District was next, dropping
48.9%. After that was the Third District at 43.1%, the Fifth, 41%
and with the smallest drop, the Fourth District at 37.1%.
The First District was fairly stable from 2011 at 1683 to 2016
at 1562. But after that, the large fall-off struck quickly: 1320
new cases in 2017, 1054 in 2018, 976 in 2019, 559 in 2020 and 709
in 2021.
The Second District had 646 new criminal filings in 2011. That
was down to 480 by 2016, but filings stayed steady until 2019
(484). Things then collapsed – only 331 in 2020 and 330 last
year. The Third District had 444 new criminal filings in 2011. That
was up to 521 by 2014, but things slowed down right after that.
There were 434
