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U.S. Code as of:
01/19/04
Section 472. Development and implementation of a civil justice expense and delay reduction plan
(a) The civil justice expense and delay reduction plan
implemented by a district court shall be developed or selected, as
the case may be, after consideration of the recommendations of an
advisory group appointed in accordance with section 478 of this
title.
(b) The advisory group of a United States district court shall
submit to the court a report, which shall be made available to the
public and which shall include -
(1) an assessment of the matters referred to in subsection
(c)(1);
(2) the basis for its recommendation that the district court
develop a plan or select a model plan;
(3) recommended measures, rules and programs; and
(4) an explanation of the manner in which the recommended plan
complies with section 473 of this title.
(c)(1) In developing its recommendations, the advisory group of a
district court shall promptly complete a thorough assessment of the
state of the court's civil and criminal dockets. In performing the
assessment for a district court, the advisory group shall -
(A) determine the condition of the civil and criminal dockets;
(B) identify trends in case filings and in the demands being
placed on the court's resources;
(C) identify the principal causes of cost and delay in civil
litigation, giving consideration to such potential causes as
court procedures and the ways in which litigants and their
attorneys approach and conduct litigation; and
(D) examine the extent to which costs and delays could be
reduced by a better assessment of the impact of new legislation
on the courts.
(2) In developing its recommendations, the advisory group of a
district court shall take into account the particular needs and
circumstances of the district court, litigants in such court, and
the litigants' attorneys.
(3) The advisory group of a district court shall ensure that its
recommended actions include significant contributions to be made by
the court, the litigants, and the litigants' attorneys toward
reducing cost and delay and thereby facilitating access to the
courts.
(d) The chief judge of the district court shall transmit a copy
of the plan implemented in accordance with subsection (a) and the
report prepared in accordance with subsection (b) of this section
to -
(1) the Director of the Administrative Office of the United
States Courts;
(2) the judicial council of the circuit in which the district
court is located; and
(3) the chief judge of each of the other United States district
courts located in such circuit.
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