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Case Management

Justice delayed is justice denied

Unproductive court dates and case delays deny justice for victims and people charged with crime. They also are a lose-lose for other stakeholders. Here’s why: 

  • wasted and added time for judges, courtroom staff, lawyers, and law enforcement 
  • increased government expense for prolonged pretrial detentions 
  • extra costs and inconvenience for witnesses, victims, and family members 

The Lab helps stakeholders understand the issues and implement effective case management solutions.

Read our research, explore our projects, and use our model tools—we’re here to help.

1.3 million criminal charges were issued in NC in 2021.
1 in 6 people miss their NC court appearances, amounting to 250,000 missed appearances per year.
Traffic misdemeanors disposed within 30 days. National benchmark: 75%, North Carolina: 7%.

Explore our Measuring Justice Dashboard to uncover patterns, evaluate your county, and drill down on specific areas.

Research

Start out strong

The first step in any effort: understand the problem. Our legal and empirical research helps unpack the system’s complexities. Our work organizes data, pinpoints opportunities, and summarizes end results—because the more you know about an issue, the more effectively you can solve it.

How Do North Carolina Criminal Charges Get Resolved?
Briefing Paper
Virtual Court Proceedings in North Carolina: Adapting to a Global Pandemic
Report
How Long Does it Take to Process a Criminal Case? An Analysis of Disposition & Pending Case Times in North Carolina
Report

Pilot projects

Find what’s working

Right now in North Carolina, we’re helping stakeholders—including law enforcement leaders, court officials, county leaders, and others—develop and implement effective reforms. Our work informs policy choices, helping stakeholders innovate solutions and evaluate outcomes. Explore these projects to see what’s possible.

North Carolina Court Appearance Project

Collection

Ready-to-Use Roadmaps

Get up and running

Our legal and evidence-based tools—forms, flowcharts, templates, implementation plans, and more—help you tailor your approach to your community. Whether you need a single court appearance tool or a comprehensive model bail policy, we have the roadmaps to support you.

Court Appearance Toolbox

Website

Explore the case management toolbox

Find what you need—or discover new pathways—by drawing from our extensive collection of reports, projects, research, data dashboards, and much more.

“The more information we have to analyze the processes we use and the results we achieve, the better we can perform our duty.  . . .  We must continually evaluate how we can improve the job we’re doing. The Lab helps us do that.”

Nathaniel Poovey, Senior Resident Superior Court Judge, Catawba County