Diversity as merit. Recently, there has been some apprehension and confusion over this Court's role and motivation concerning modifications of the practices and procedures in the Criminal Department. The people of this state and county are entitled to fair and swift justice. Delay is the enemy of justice. In the past 18 months, the Criminal Department Judges have been dramatically revising the case flow management system, processes and practices relating to criminal cases.
More important changes continue to occur every month.
Tremendous increases in the number of criminal felony cases filed in this county in the past several years have compelled us to re-examine the way we do court business. There were 24,700 felony cases filed in Superior court in this county in 1998, more than all of the rest of the state added together. The numbers increased in both 1996 and 1995. During these four years, only one new judge was added to the court. In every one of the 14 other counties, there is one Superior Court judge for every 30,000 people, which is the allocation authorized by the Arizona Constitution.