Introduction to Appeal Case Reporting

 

The new Appeal–Caseload Summary matrix follows the trial court reporting scheme in distinguishing more case types and providing more subcategories within case types. Thus, Domestic Relations case appeals are recognized as a distinct case type category.  Separating the domestic relations case appeals from the Civil case appeals allows the courts to better track the issues arising from the domestic relations (or family law) cases.

 

Since the distinction between mandatory and discretionary jurisdiction is no longer being made, cases that are not appeals should not be counted in the Appeal–Caseload Summary matrix. Cases such as certified questions, advisory opinions, or original proceedings are now counted in a separate Other Appellate–Caseload Summary matrix so that courts can use the information in the Appeal–Caseload Summary matrix to focus specifically on the details of the appeals that are being brought before them.

 

The Manner of Disposition matrix reports more detailed accounts of appellate decisions.

 

There are now three distinct steps to reporting case dispositions.  The first step is the Manner of Disposition – how many cases were Decided, Dismissed, Denied, Transferred to Another Court, or disposed by Other Resolution.

 

The second step reports the Type of Court Opinion – how many cases the court disposed as Published Opinion, Memorandum Decision, Order, Per Curiam Affirmed, or Other Opinion.

 

The third step reports Case Outcomes – how many decisions were Affirmed, Reversed, Reversed and Remanded for New Trial, Remanded for New Sentence Hearing Only, Modified and Remanded to Intermediate Appellate Court, or resulted in Other Modifications.