WISCONSIN COURT OF APPEALS

MONTHLY STATISTICAL REPORT

 

 

DECEMBER 2008

 

 

            This statistical report presents information about the case filings and dispositions of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals during the month of December 2008 and for the calendar year ending December 31, 2008.

 

 

Opinions and Orders Issued by the Court

 

            The Court of Appeals issued 105 opinions, 97 summary dispositions, and 64 other written decisions in December.  Opinions include three-judge and one-judge authored opinions and per curiam opinions.  Summary dispositions include opinions issued in the form of a court order after the court has reviewed the briefs and the record and, generally, following a screening and decision conference.  Other written decisions include memorandum opinions, which are issued in the form of a court order prior to a screening and decision conference, and miscellaneous orders terminating cases (e.g., voluntary dismissals and stipulations to dismiss).  The breakdown by district and type of disposition is as follows:

December 2008                                                   I                   II                  III                IV              Total

Cases Terminated.................................... ...... 69                  66                  53                78                  266

 

        Opinion - Civil.................................. ...... 10                  14                  14               23                    61

        Opinion - Criminal............................ ...... 22                    9                    5                  8                    44

 

        Sum. Disp. - Civil............................. ........ 2                    7                    5                13                    27

        Sum. Disp. - Criminal....................... ...... 21                  21                  13                15                    70       

 

        Memo Opinion - Civil......................          7                  10                  11                  9                    37

        Memo Opinion - Criminal............... ........ 6                    4                    4                  6                    20

        Other - Civil...................................... ........ 1                    1                    1                  2                      5

        Other - Criminal................................ ........ 0                    0                    0                  2                      2


 

During the year ended December 31, 2008, the Court of Appeals issued 1119 opinions, 909 summary dispositions, and 1050 other written decisions.

Year to Date                                                        I                   II                  III                IV              Total

Cases Terminated........................... ... 814            752            629           883            3078

 

Opinion - Civil.................................. .... 160                158                126              216                  660

Opinion - Criminal..................... ... 164            115             80           100                  459

Sum. Disp. – Civil............................ ...... 33                  62                  50                65              210

Sum. Disp. - Criminal................. ... 216            151            139           193              699

Memo Opinion - Civil................ ... 132                128            135           179              574

Memo Opinion - Criminal...........        72              87              68                70              297

Other - Civil............................. ..... 27              41                  26            47              141

Other - Criminal........................ ..... 10              10               5            13               38

 

 

Appeals Filed

 

            A total of 246 appeals were filed during the month.  An appeal asks the Court of Appeals to review the decision of the circuit court.

 

December 2008                                                   I                   II                  III                IV              Total

 

Cases Filed............................................... ...... 82                  58                  53                53                  246

 

Civil.................................................... ...... 30                  31                  34                34                  129

Criminal............................................. ...... 52                  27                  19                19                  117

 

During the year ended December 31, 2008, a total of 3102 appeals were filed.

 

Year to Date                                                        I                   II                  III                IV              Total

 

Cases Filed............................................... ... 856            827            659           760                3102

 

Civil.................................................... ... 382            389            355           452            1578

Criminal............................................. ... 474            438            304           308            1524

 

 

Appeals Pending

 

            As of the end of December, a total of 2008 cases were pending before the Court of Appeals.

 

                                                                                               I                   II                  III                IV              Total

 

Cases Pending......................................... .... 622                562                332              492                2008

 

Civil.................................................... .... 268                257                186              273                  984

Criminal............................................. .... 354                305                146              219                1024

 


Petitions for Supervisory Writ

 

            The Court of Appeals received 11 and disposed of 5 petitions for supervisory writ during the month.  A petition for supervisory writ asks the Court of Appeals to order the circuit court to take a certain action in a case.

 

                                                                                               I                   II                  III                IV              Total

 

Sup. Writs Filed....................................... ........ 3                    0                    2                  6                    11

 

Sup. Writs Terminated............................ ........ 1                    1                    2                  1                      5

        Granted.............................................. ........ 0                    0                    0                  0                      0

        Denied, Dismissed, Other............... ........ 1                    1                    2                  1                      5

 

Sup. Writs Pending................................. ...... 26                    5                    2                11                    44

 

 

Petitions for Leave to Appeal

 

            The Court of Appeals received 17 and disposed of 19 petitions for leave to appeal during the month.  A petition for leave to appeal asks the Court of Appeals to invoke its discretionary jurisdiction and accept the appeal of a case in which a final order has not been issued.

 

                                                                                               I                   II                  III                IV              Total

 

Leave to Appeal Petitions Filed............ ........ 4                    6                    4                  3                    17

 

Leave to Appeal Petitions Terminated. ........ 5                    3                    5                  6                    19

        Granted.............................................. ........ 1                    1                    1                  2                      5       

        Denied, Dismissed, Other............... ........ 4                    2                    4                  4                    14

 

Leave to Appeal Petitions Pending...... ...... 20                  10                    3                  6                    39

 

 

Petitions for Review, Petitions for Bypass, and Certifications to the Supreme Court

 

            The Supreme Court received 71 petitions for review of decisions of the Court of Appeals, no petitions to bypass the Court of Appeals, and 1 request for certification.  In a petition for bypass, a party requests that the Supreme Court take jurisdiction of an appeal or other proceeding pending in the Court of Appeals.  In a request for certification, the Court of Appeals asks the Supreme Court to exercise its appellate jurisdiction before the Court of Appeals hears the matter.  

 

                                                                                               I                   II                  III                IV              Total

 

Petitions for Review Filed...................... ...... 17                  18                  12                24                    71

        Civil.................................................... ........ 7                    7                    7                18                    39

        Criminal............................................. ...... 10                  11                    5                  6                    32

 

Petitions for Bypass Filed...................... ........ 0                    0                    0                  0                      0

        Civil.................................................... ........ 0                    0                    0                  0                      0

        Criminal............................................. ........ 0                    0                    0                  0                      0

 

Certifications Filed.................................. ........ 0                    1                    0                  0                      1

        Civil.................................................... ........ 0                    1                    0                  0                      1

        Criminal............................................. ........ 0                    0                    0                  0                      0