Supreme Court fails to shrink backlog

Thursday, Jan. 8, 1998 | 10:39 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- While the Nevada Supreme Court disposed of more cases in 1997 than any year in its history, it still is falling behind and faces a record backlog.

The court said Wednesday it had completed rulings on 1,471 cases last year -- 99 more than in 1996. But at the end of the year there were 2,521 cases pending, compared to 2,157 in January 1997.

The court said statistical data indicates the caseload continues to grow.

In an attempt to handle more cases, the court changed procedures during the year. There was a fast-track system created for criminal appeals that have no merit. And settlement conferences were ordered for appeals from civil cases to see if they could reduce the pending cases.

Justice Cliff Young said both innovations are working. And two new justices will be added to the court in 1999 that will allow it to split into panels to hear cases and rule more quickly on them.

Statistics released by the court show that although a record number of cases were disposed of, there were only 156 written opinions -- the lowest number since 1988 when there were 134 formal opinions authored.