The Superior Courts of the Northeastern Judicial Circuit in Hall and Dawson counties closed a record number of cases in 2023.
According to a press release from the courts, the circuit reported 5,761 dispositions at the end of 2023. That number was a 3% increase over the previous year and a 7% increase over pre-pandemic numbers.
"Like all Georgia courts, the circuit has been working to dispose of a pandemic-imposed backlog of cases, particularly criminal cases," the release said.
2023's dispositions yielded a clearance rate of 103% across the two counties. The circuit said this is a key performance measure, which indicates whether a court is keeping up with its incoming caseload.
"We're enormously proud of what we the circuit has been able to achieve over these last three years," Chief Superior Court Judge Jason Deal said. "Thanks to the strong cooperation and dedication of a lot of stakeholders - the local bar, Public Defender, District Attorney, the Sheriff's Office, Clerk of Court, County Administration, Court Administration; this validates a lot of hard work."
The circuit is served by five Superior Court judges. The judges are also assisted each week by Juvenile Court and Magistrate Court judges who sit by designation.
A court's clearance rate is determined by dividing the total number of cases disposed by the total number of cases filed.
