Speedy Trial and Timely Resolution of Criminal Cases

Copyright by the American Bar Association. This work (Criminal Justice Standards) may be used for non-profit educational and training purposes and legal reform (legislative, judicial, and executive) without written permission but with a citation to this source.  Some specific Standards can be purchased in book format.

In August 2004, the ABA House of Delegates approved these “black letter” standards that have been published with commentary in ABA Standards for Criminal Justice: Speedy Trial and Timely Resolution of Criminal Cases, 3d ed., © 2006, American Bar Association. For the text of the publication, click here. To go directly to individual “black letter” standards (without commentary), click on the links below. 

PART I. GENERAL PRINCIPLES

Standard 12-1.1 Purposes of the Standards on Speedy Trial and Timely Resolution of Criminal Cases.
Standard 12-1.2 Importance of establishing both speedy trial rules and standards for timely resolution of criminal cases
Standard 12-1.3 Case differentiation
Standard 12-1.4 Systems approach
Standard 12-1.5 Caseflow systems that will enable timely resolution of all criminal cases

PART II. DEFENDANT'S RIGHT TO A SPEEDY TRIAL

Standard 12-2.1 Speedy trial time limits
Standard 12-2.2 Commencement and setting of speedy trial time limit
Standard 12-2.3 Excluded periods
Standard 12-2.4 Special procedures applicable to persons serving terms of imprisonment
Standard 12-2.5 Computation of time for persons serving terms of imprisonment
Standard 12-2.6 Implementation of speedy trial time limits
Standard 12-2.7 Effects of exceeding the speedy trial time limit period

PART III. STANDARDS FOR TIMELY RESOLUTION OF CRIMINAL CASES

Standard 12-3.1 The public's interest in timely case resolution
Standard 12-3.2 Goals for timely case resolution
Standard 12-3.3 Monitoring and accountability
Standard 12-3.4 Consistency of timely resolution standards with other justice system policy objectives

PART IV. ORGANIZING JUSTICE SYSTEM RESOURCES TO ACHIEVE TIMELY RESOLUTION OF CRIMINAL CASES

Standard 12-4.1 Operational goals to guide criminal caseflow
Standard 12-4.2 Caseflow management practices and procedures
Standard 12-4.3 Jurisdictional plans for effective criminal caseflow management: essential elements
Standard 12-4.4 Acquisition and use of information for case processing
Standard 12-4.5 Court responsibility for management of calendars and caseloads

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