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Reports & Studies
Below is a list of a number of past published studies conducted by the Research Division. Some Center reports are not published or made publicly available due to restrictions in place from the source of the research request. Most research reports can be downloaded and in some instances, a hardcopy publication can be requested. See also Manuals, Monographs, & Guides.
Displaying 301 - 310 of 330
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Date |
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The Potential for Video Technology in the Courts Describes several uses for video technology in the judicial system. Discusses proscriptions against certain types of uses in federal courts, as well as those uses acceptable in the federal system. Analyzes factors that will affect the potential of video technology for improving court administration and notes special considerations that should precede widespread use. |
January 1, 1972 |
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The Pre-Argument Conference Program in the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals A study conducted at the court's request to determine if its program met its goals of saving judges' time, lessening case-management burdens, and simplifying issues on appeal. Using a control group method, the study determined that the program was a success--it met its goals and received strong support from the bar. |
January 1, 1990 |
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The Quality of Advocacy in the Federal Courts: A Report to the Committee of the Judicial Conference of the United States to Consider Standards for Admission to Practice in the Federal Courts A report on judges' evaluations of lawyers' performance in federal district courts and courts of appeals, undertaken in response to Chief Justice Burger's criticism of federal court advocacy. Based on surveys of trial and appellate judges and attorneys, as well as on ratings of videotaped trial performance, the study analyzes relationships between performance and lawyer characteristics (role in case, size of law office, and lawyer's age, experience, and education) and identifies areas of deficiency in trial and appellate skills. |
January 1, 1978 |
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The Role of Staff Attorneys and Face-to-Face Conferencing in Non-Argument Decisionmaking: A View from the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals Using materials obtained through interviews with the court of appeals' judges and staff attorneys, as well as visiting judges, the authors discuss the procedure used by the court for selecting and deciding cases suitable for disposition without argument. They concluded that staff attorneys' attendance at the decision-making conference and face-to-face discussion among the judges provided substantial benefits for the judges, the staff attorneys, and the efficiency and quality of the nonargument decision-making process. |
January 1, 1989 |
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The Roles of Magistrates in Federal District Courts A description of the scope of responsibilities of full-time magistrate judges in eighty-two district courts. The report also describes the processes by which magistrate judges are assigned those responsibilities and the frequency with which they are assigned various tasks. |
January 1, 1983 |
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The Roles of Magistrates: Nine Case Studies The findings of an in-depth study of the use of magistrate judges in nine district courts, in the context of each court's approach to court administration and case management. The author describes three models for the use of magistrate judges: as "additional judges," as specialists, and as team players. She also examines the extent to which magistrate judges work is challenged by lawyers. |
January 1, 1985 |
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The Rule 11 Sanctioning Process A report that discusses the possible chilling effects and potential for creating satellite litigation of Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 11 (before the 1993 amendment that increased judges' discretion as to imposing sanctions). It also discusses the nature and adequacy of procedures used to implement the rule. The report is based on interviews with judges and lawyers in eight districts. The author describes his methodology and reports his empirical findings. |
January 1, 1988 |
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The Second Circuit Sentencing Study: A Report to the Judges of the Second Circuit The report on a sentencing experiment that revealed substantial disparity in determining both the need for incarceration and the lengths of prison terms to be imposed. Matters of disparity and the effects of particular case characteristics are discussed. |
January 1, 1974 |
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The Timing of Scheduling Orders and Discovery Cut-Off Dates The Judicial Conference Advisory Committee on Civil Rules asked the Federal Judicial Center to study the operation of Rules 16 and 26(f) in the district courts. This report summarizes findings of part of that study. Specifically, this report examines the timing of Rule 16 scheduling orders in civil cases and, drawing from those scheduling orders, also examines the timing of the first discovery cut-off date imposed, without regard to any extension. The data analyzed in this report were drawn from court records in 11 districts. |
October 1, 2011 |
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The U.S. Sentencing Guidelines: Results of the Federal Judicial Center's 1996 Survey-Report to the Committee on Criminal Law of the Judicial Conference of the United States Report on a survey that the Center undertook at the request of the Committee on Criminal Law of the Judicial Conference of the United States of all district and circuit judges and chief probation officers regarding their experiences with and views of the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Overall, responses did not reflect a groundswell of support for major overhaul of the Sentencing Guidelines. In general, chief probation officers were less supportive of change to the current guideline sentencing system than were judges. |
January 1, 1997 |