Local state courts lead state in “case age”

WILMINGTON, NC (NEWS RELEASE) – The Administrative Office of the Courts recently released the statistical data and comparisons for court efficiency in the 2009-2010 fiscal year. The Fifth District, which includes New Hanover and Pender Counties, ranks first among the 43 judicial districts in case age for felonies. This statistic assesses the age of a case from arrest to final disposition, as expressed in days. While the average case age across the State of North Carolina was 181 days, the Fifth District’s average case age was 106 days.

The following quotations from members of the Fifth Judicial District address this statistical finding:

Bob Kilroy, Pender County Clerk of Court: “It has been a team effort to reduce the number of backlogged cases in the Fifth District.”

Ed McMahon, New Hanover County Sheriff: “It costs at least $80 a day to house an inmate in the New Hanover County Jail. The courthouse efficiency illustrated by these statistics translates into a huge savings for taxpayers.”

Ben David, District Attorney: “Getting to be the best in the State did not happen overnight and required the work of many people. From judges and clerks to attorneys and law enforcement officials, everyone understands that increased efficiency is not only working smarter in these tough economic times, it also keeps the community safer. Everyone, from individual victims to the entire community benefits when justice is not delayed..”