In 2015-16, trial courts received about 6.2 million submissions to the court (“filings”)—a decrease of 34 percent over the past decade.
Of the total filings, about 65 percent were for traffic infractions and misdemeanors. About 15 percent were for non-traffic criminal cases, while 18 percent were civil or family cases. The remainder includes juvenile cases, mental health cases, and probate cases.
While most court filings involve traffic cases, such cases are resolved relatively quickly and do not require significant resources. Rather, most court resources support non-traffic criminal, civil, or family law cases.
In 2015-16, only 8 percent of filings were resolved through trial. The remaining were resolved in other ways, such as through settlements or hearings.
Last Updated: December 2018