Today, we begin a short break from our analysis of the data from the past seven years’ oral arguments to offer a statistical preview of two of the highlights of the upcoming September term. We begin with Blumenthal v. Brewer, set for the September 23 call of the docket, which poses the question of
Average Votes to Affirm Appellate Court Civil Decisions
Yesterday, we addressed the reversal rates of the districts and divisions of the Appellate Court. Now we turn to a related issue.
Reversal rates may conceal the true degree of disagreement on the Court with the decisions coming out of any particular District and division. Reversal is a binary variable: a 4-3 reversal affects a
Reversal Rates of the Appellate Court Districts
Last week, we addressed the dissent rate in civil cases at the Illinois Supreme Court. This week, we turn to a new aspect of the Court’s decision making.
During the past twenty years, the most frequently cited statistic among observers of the United States Supreme Court has been the “reversal rate” of each federal Circuit.
How Often Does the Illinois Supreme Court Review Unpublished Decisions (Part II)
Yesterday, we looked at the prevalence of Rule 23 orders (unpublished decisions) as a fraction of the Appellate Court’s workload. Now we turn to the data – how much of the Illinois Supreme Court’s civil caseload consists of Rule 23 orders?
Given that a Rule 23 order should in theory break no new legal ground
How Often Does the Illinois Supreme Court Review Unpublished Decisions (Part I)
Last week, we looked at the question of how often the Illinois Supreme Court considers unanimous civil decisions from the Appellate Court. Now we turn to a related question: how often does the Court review unpublished decisions?According to Illinois Supreme Court Rule 23, the Appellate Courts are to issue formal opinions under only two circumstances:
What Counties are Producing the Illinois Supreme Court’s Civil Docket, Part III (2010-2014)
In the last two posts, we’ve been investigating where in the state the Illinois Supreme Court tends to draw its civil docket from. Now, we turn to the last five years of our study period.
During the most recent years – comprising the entirety of the Kilbride Court and the beginning of the Garman Court
What Counties Are Producing the Illinois Supreme Court’s Civil Docket (Part II)
In our last post, we began our discussion of where in the state the Illinois Supreme Court’s civil docket has come from over the past fifteen years, beginning with population figures for 2000 and 2010, and including also the data from 2000-2004.
For the second five years of the study period, the Court’s civil caseload
What Counties are Producing the Illinois Supreme Court’s Civil Docket (Part I)
In our last several posts, we considered how frequently the Illinois Supreme Court agrees to review summary judgments.
Next we consider the geographical sources of the Court’s civil docket. The most obvious driver of caseload should be population – more residents equals more litigation, and therefore more candidates for possible Supreme Court review. Therefore, as
Sources of Appellate Jurisdiction in the Court’s Civil Docket, 2010-2014
We’ve been looking at the sources of appellate jurisdiction for the Illinois Supreme Court’s civil docket. Does the Court prefer to review final decisions with fully formed records? How often does the Court review interlocutory decisions?
Between 2000 and 2004, Rule 301 appeals comprised between sixty and seventy percent of the Court’s civil docket.
Between
Sources of Appellate Jurisdiction in the Court’s Civil Docket, 2005-2009
In our last post, we began looking at the sources of appellate jurisdiction on the Illinois Supreme Court’s civil docket. Does the Court mostly review final decisions? If the Court frequently hears interlocutory appeals on its civil docket, does it show a preference for any particular kind of interlocutory appeal – constitutional cases or appeals