Most civil cases are the result of personal injury, property damage, medical malpractice and contract disputes. There were 31,258 civil cases filed in 2000. The Court is committed to exploring ways to make justice more affordable and more accessible to its customers. Many new court programs are dedicated to reducing delay, cutting costs, facilitating public access and providing more choices in resolving disputes without court trials. Mediation - Disputing parties determine their own solution with the assistance of a neutral facilitator.
Arbitration is an increasingly popular alternative to trial.
Arbitration is intended to lower court costs to litigants and allow the Court to utilize judicial resources more effectively. More than 100 cases each week go through this process.