Yesterday, we showed that in contrast to our result in civil cases, when majority opinions reversing tended most years to be longer than majority opinions affirming, the opposite was generally true in criminal cases – between 1990 and 2003, affirmances were longer.  Today, we’re looking at the years 2004 to 2018.

In 2004, reversals were longer – 15.65 pages to 14.8.  In 2005, affirmances were narrowly longer, 17.13 to 17.12 pages.  In 2006, affirmances were 21.38 pages to 17.15 pages for reversals.  In 2007, affirmances averaged 25.5 pages and reversals averaged 17.75 pages.  In 2008, reversals were longer – 16.58 pages to 14.76.  In 2009, reversals averaged 18.12 pages to 16.48 for affirmances.  IN 2010, affirmances averaged 18.63 pages and reversals averaged 14.76.

In 2011, affirmances averaged 15.67 pages to 11.42 for reversals.  In 2012, affirmances averaged 14.27 pages.  Reversals were 9.47 pages.  IN 2013, reversals averaged 10.74 pages.  Affirmances averaged 9.8 pages.  In 2014, reversals averaged 12.07 pages and affirmances were 9.85.  In 2015, reversals averaged 9.39 pages and affirmances averaged 8.7 pages.  In 2016, affirmances averaged 12.83 pages and reversals averaged 9.87 pages.  In 2017, affirmances averaged 17.69 pages and reversals were 17.06 pages.  Last year, affirmances averaged 18 pages and reversals averaged 14.22.

Join us back here next Tuesday as we turn to a new topic.

Image courtesy of Flickr by Heather Paul (no changes).