Family Court Performance Standards and Measures - Appendix A

Appendix A	Appendix B	Appendix C
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APPENDIX A


1. Access to Justice
Measure	Primary Data Collection Method	Primary Evaluators	Subject/Source of DATA
Standard 1.1 Public Proceedings
1.1.1 Access to Open Hearings Observation/Simulation	Volunteer observers	Record of access for selected court proceedings	Record of access for selected court proceedings
1.1.2 Tracking Court Proceedings	Observation/simulation	Volunteer observers	Selected court proceedings
1.1.2 Audibility of Participants During Open Court	Observation/simulation	Volunteer observers	Selected court proceedings
Standard 1.2 Safety, Accessibility, and Convenience
1.2.1 Courthouse Security Audit	Observation/simulation	Security consultant	Security checklist of courthouse facilities
1.2.2 Law Enforcement Officer Test of Courthouse Security	Observation/simulation	Law enforcement Officials	Security tests of courthouse facilities
1.2.3 Perception of Courthouse Security	Survey	Skilled survey Methodologist	Perceptions of regular users of the court (including court employees, attorneys, jurors, and probation officers)
1.2.4 Court Employees' Knowledge of Emergency Procedures	Interviews	Skilled interviewers	Court employee interviews
1.2.5 Access to Information by Telephone	Observation/simulation	Volunteer observers	Phone calls to court about specific cases


1.2.6 Evaluation of Accessibility and Convenience by Court Users	Survey	Skilled survey Methodologist	Perceptions of regular court users (including court employees, attorneys, jurors, and probation officers)
1.2.7 Evaluation of Accessibility and Convenience by Observers	Survey	Skilled survey methodologist	Perceptions of volunteer observers
Standard 1.3 Effective Participation
1.3.1 Effective Legal Representation of Children in Child Abuse and Neglect Proceedings	Record review and survey	Court staff	Case file documents; Information from judges, guardians ad litem, and caseworkers
1.3.2 Evaluation of Interpreted Events by Experts	Observation/simulation	Court interpretation consultants	Court Proceedings involving interpreters
1.3.3 Test of Basic Knowledge Required of Interpreters	Written test	Court staff knowledgeable about interpretation issues	Skills of court interpreters
1.3.4 Assessing Non-English Language Proficiency Through Back Interpretation	Oral Test	Court staff or consultant with highly developed English language skills	Skills of court interpreters
1.3.5 Participation by Persons with Disabilities	Observation/simulation	Volunteer observers	Court facilities and services


Standard 1.4 Courtesy, Responsiveness, and Respect
1.4.1 Court Users' Assessment of Court Personnel's Courtesy and Responsiveness	Survey	Skilled survey Methodologist	Perceptions of regular users of the court (including court employees, attorneys, jurors, and probation officers)
1.4.2 Observers' Assessment of Court Personnel's Courtesy and Responsiveness	Survey	Skilled survey methodologist volunteer observers	Perceptions of court personnel
1.4.3 Treatment of Litigants In Court	Observation/simulation	Volunteer observers	Selected court proceedings
Standard 1.5 Affordable Costs of Access
1.5.1 Inventory of Assistance Alternatives for the Financially Disadvantaged	Record review, observation/simulation and interviews	Data collection team consisting of a court official, a practicing attorney, and a representative of a local social service agency	Administrative documents, court facilities, and interviews with court staff
1.5.2 Access to Affordable Civil Legal Assistance	Observation/simulation	Volunteer observers	Court operations and services
1.5.3 Barriers to Accessing Needed Court Services	Survey	Survey research organization	Perceptions of the general public


2. Expedition and Timeliness
Measure	Primary Data Collection Method	Primary Evaluators	Subject/Source of Data
Standard 2.1 Case Processing
2.1.1 Time to Disposition	Record review	Court staff and statistical analyst	Case file documents
2.1.2 Ratio of Case Dispositions to Case Filings	Record review	Court staff and statistical analyst	Case management records
2.1.3 Age of Pending Caseload	Record review	Court staff and statistical analyst	Case file documents
2.1.4 Certainty of Trial Dates	Record review	Court staff and statistical analyst	Case file documents
Standard 2.2 Compliance With Schedules
2.2.1 Prompt Payment of Moneys	Record review	Court staff	Court financial records
2.2.2 Provision of Services	Record review	Court staff	Case file documents
2.2.3 Provision of Information	Observation/simulation	Volunteer observers	Court operations and services
2.2.4 Compliance with Report Schedules	Record review	Court staff	Administrative documents
Standard 2.3 Prompt Implementation of Law and Procedure
2.3.1 Implementation of Changes in Substantive and Procedural Laws	Record review	Court staff	Administrative documents
2.3.2 Implementation of Changes in Administrative Procedures	Record review	Court staff	Administrative documents


3. Equality, Fairness, and Integrity
Measure	Primary Data Collection Method	Primary Evaluators	Subject/Source of Data
Standard 3.1 Fair and Reliable Judicial Process
3.1.1 Performance in Selected Areas of Law	Structured group techniques, record review, observation/simulation, and interviews	Panels of practitioners in basic areas of law and court staff	Case file documents, court proceedings, and perceptions of judges, court employees, and attorneys
3.1.2 Assessment of Court Performance in Applying the Law Survey	Skilled survey methodologist	Perceptions of court employees and attorneys
Standard 3.2 Court Decisions and Actions
3.2.1 Evaluation of Equality and Fairness by the Practicing Bar	Survey	Skilled survey methodologist	Perceptions of attorneys
3.2.2 Evaluation of Equality and Fairness by Court Users	Survey	Skilled survey methodologist	Perceptions of regular court users (including litigants, jurors, witnesses, and victims)
3.2.3 Equality and Fairness in Sentencing	Record Review	Expert statistical consultant	Case file documents
3.2.4 Equality and Fairness in Bail Decisions	Record review	Expert statistical consultant	Case file documents


3.2.5 Integrity of Trial Court Outcomes	Record review	Court Staff	Appellate case files
Standard 3.3 Clarity
3.3.1 Clarity of Judgment and Sentence	Record review	Court staff	Criminal case file documents
3.3.2 Clarity of Civil Judgments	Record review	Court staff	Civil case file documents
3.3.3 Experience in Interpreting Orders and Judgments	Survey	Court staff	Perceptions of judges, attorneys, probation officers, and clerks
Standard 3.4 Responsibility for Enforcement
3.4.1 Payment of Fines, Costs, Restitution, and Other Orders by Probationers	Record review	Court staff	Court probationary orders and bookkeeping records
3.4.2 Child Support Enforcement	Record review	Court staff	Child support orders and bookkeeping records
3.4.3 Civil Judgment Enforcement	Record review	Court staff	Civil judgment docket
3.4.4 Enforcement of Case Processing Rules and Orders	Record review	Court staff	Case file documents


Measure	Primary Data Collection Method		Primary Evaluators	Subject/Source of Data
Standard 3.5 Pro Court Decisions and Actions (continued)
3.5.1 Reliability of the File Control System	Record review	Court Staff		Case files
3.5.2 Adequate Storage and Preservation Of Physical Records	Record review	Court staff		Case file documents
3.5.3 Accuracy, Consistency, and Utility of the Case Docket System	Record review	Court staff		Case docket system
3.5.4 Case File Integrity	Record review	Court staff		Case files
3.5.5 Reliability of Document Processing	Record review	Court staff		Legal documents
3.5.6 Verbatim Records of Proceedings	Survey	Court staff		Perceptions of attorneys


4. Independence and Accountability
Measure	Primary Data Collection Method	Primary Evaluators	Subject/Source of Data
Standard 4.1 Independence and Comity
4.1.1 Perceptions of the Court's Independence and Comity	Survey	Court research staff and steering committee	Perceptions of regular users of the court (court personnel, including judges, attorneys, law enforcement, and other government agency representatives)
Standard 4.2 Accountability for Public Resources
4.2.1 Adequacy of Statistical Reporting Categories for Resource Allocation	Structured group techniques	Judges, clerks, other court operations personnel, and steering committee	Statistical case types classification
4.2.2 Evaluation of Personnel Resource Allocation	Structured group techniques	Judges, court operations personnel, and steering committee	Case filings and staffing patterns
4.2.3 Evaluation of the Court's Financial Auditing Practices	Record review and interviews	Financial consultant (optional) and steering committee	Administrative audit report
Standard 4.3 Personnel Practices and Decisions
4.3.1 Assessment of Fairness in Working Conditions	Survey	Noncourt employees to administer survey and steering committee	Perceptions of court employees
4.3.2 Personnel Practices and Employee Morale	Survey	Skilled survey methodologist and steering committee	Perceptions of court employees
4.3.3 Equal Employment Opportunity	Record review	Steering committee and court personnel	Court personnel records


Measure	Primary Data Collection Method	Primary Evaluators	Subject/Source of Data
Standard 4.4 Public Education
4.4.1 Court and Media Relations	Record review	Trial court manager and steering committee	Court policies and practices
4.4.2 Assessment of the Court's Media Policies and Practices	Interviews	Court staff, skilled interviewers (noncourt employees), and steering committee	Perceptions of court employees and media representatives
4.4.3 Community Outreach Efforts	Record review and interviews	Public information specialist, court employee, and steering committee	Public education documents and court employee's outreach efforts
Standard 4.5 Response to Change
4.5.1 Responsiveness to Past Issues	Structured group techniques and interviews	Group facilitator and steering committee	Options of representatives of the justice system or other related organizations


5. Public Trust and Confidence
Measure	Primary Data Collection Method		Primary Evaluators	Subject/Source of Data
Standard 5.1 Accessibility
5.1.1 Court Employees' Perceptions of Court Performance	Survey	Skilled survey methodologist		Perceptions of court employees
5.1.2 Justice System Representatives' Perceptions of Court Performance	Structured group techniques	Group facilitator		Perceptions of representatives of other components of the justice system and other related agencies
5.1.3 General Public's Perceptions of Court Performance	Survey	Survey research organization		Perceptions of the general public
See also Measures 1.2.3, 1.2.6, 1.2.7, 1.4.1, and 1.4.2.
Standard 5.2 Expeditious, Fair, and Reliable Court Functions
See Measures 3.3.1, 3.3.2, 5.1.1, 5.1.2, and 5.1.3.
Standard 5.3 Judicial Independence and Accountability
See Measures 4.1.1, 4.3.1, 4.3.2, 4.4.2, 5.1.1, 5.1.2, and 5.1.3.