In June 1997 the average trial delay for a jury trial was 114 days. In June 1998 the average wait for a defendant was 91 days for a jury trial, a significant decrease from last year. The time from arraignment to trial is needed for prosecution and defense to prepare, to schedule officers and other witnesses, and to have pre-trial conferences to attempt to reach settlement. In FY98 there were also 778 bench trials held, which is less than the 921 bench trials held in FY97. This may, in part, be attributable to the re-institution of the Violations Bureau and other administrative changes, which make it easier for people to obtain a decrease in fine without appearing before a judge.
Bench trials take far less time for preparation and take place much sooner than jury trials.
Adding bench trials into the overall trial delay calculation, in June 1998 the average trial delay was 53 days for either a jury or non-jury trial, as compared to the 91 day delay for a jury trial. For more information, please contact Marilyn Nelson at 682-5580. Regulatory activities include developing pollutant limits for industrial discharges, responding to permit violations, and conducting industrial site inspections. ISC staff routinely conduct inspections of industrial and commercial facilities to determine whether facilities require permitting as Significant Industrial Users. The staff also has responsibilities to identify and eliminate prohibited discharges to the sanitary system.