Merrill Balassone, with Public Affairs at the Judicial Council, has posted a summary of highlights and statistics for the most recently completed Supreme Court term, from September 1, 2019 – August 31, 2020. The Council is expected to issue a different statistical report — covering all the state’s courts, including the Supreme Court — in December. (See here.)
Some of the headings in today’s Year in Review are COVID-19: A New Normal, Justice Ming Chin Retires, Major Changes to California Bar Exam, Jury Workgroup Launched, and High-Profile Cases.
Statistical highlights, with numbers from last year’s report, include:
- The court issued 77 opinions (there were 75 opinions last term). 17 were in death penalty cases (22 last year), 38 were in civil cases (31 last year), and 22 were in non-capital criminal cases (same as last year).
- There were 3,682 petitions for review filed, an even 1,000 of them in civil cases. (3,702 and 991 last year.)
- There were 2,773 original proceeding filings, the vast majority (1,803) in criminal cases. (2,913 and 1,714 last year.)
- The court depublished 28 Court of Appeal opinions, a marked increase over the 19 depublications last year.