State Court Administrative Office 	(rev. 1/2014)
Model Local Administrative Order 22 – Caseflow Management Plan

[LOCAL COURT LETTERHEAD]

Administrative Order [year] – [number] 

CASEFLOW MANAGEMENT PLAN

Rescinds Local Administrative Order [ ].

IT IS ORDERED:

This administrative order is issued in accordance with Michigan Supreme Court Administrative Order 2013-12.

A.	Goals of the Court

The court adopts the following Caseflow Management Plan to: 

1.	Expedite the disposition of all cases in a manner consistent with fairness to all parties and what is permissible under law;

2.	Minimize the uncertainties associated with processing cases;

3.	Ensure equal access to the adjudicative process for all litigants.

B.	Case Processing Time Guidelines

[Select either Option “A” or Option “B”:]

[Option A: The court adopts this plan to comply with the time guidelines as set forth in Administrative Order 2013-12.  The court will not dismiss a case for the sole reason that it is likely to exceed the guideline.] 

[Option B: The court adopts this plan to comply with the time guidelines as set forth in Administrative Order 2013-12, except in regards to criminal proceedings.  The court has provided the sheriff with the opportunity to comment and the sheriff’s response is attached.  The court does not anticipate jail overcrowding as a result of the change in this guideline.  The court adopts the following guidelines for criminal proceedings:

75 percent of all felony cases should be adjudicated within 154 days from the date of entry of the order binding the defendant over to the circuit court and 98 percent within 301 days.  Incarcerated persons will be afforded priority for trial.

The court will not dismiss a case for the sole reason that it is likely to exceed the guideline.] 

C.	Scheduling Policy 

The court will schedule all cases or contested matters in a manner that minimizes delay for the parties and that reduces the possibility of adjournment of scheduled events.  The court will control all cases from case initiation through post-disposition proceedings by: 

1.	Appropriate case screening; 

2.	Scheduling conferences and orders for the purpose of achieving date certainty; 

3.	Management of discovery and motion practice;

4.	Realistic scheduling of all court events.

The court will monitor all cases and contested matters to ensure that no case exists for which a future action or review date has not been scheduled.  The court will schedule all cases pursuant to the time guidelines set forth in Administrative Order 2013-12 [add the following, if applicable](and Section “B” of this local administrative order).  The court will not permit a case or contested matter to remain on this court’s docket in excess of the guidelines set forth in this local administrative order without immediate judicial review.  

D.	Adjournment Policy 

The court strictly adheres to MCR 2.503.

E.	Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) [Optional]

The court encourages alternative means to resolve disputes.  Litigants will be provided with information regarding area dispute resolution and counseling centers.  [Optional - insert specific programs and alternatives utilized (such as mediation, case evaluation, etc.)]  Cases referred to ADR shall remain open. 

F.	Pretrial Scheduling Orders

[insert court procedure]

G.	Settlement or Final Pretrial Conferences [Optional]

Every action that is not disposed of through mediation, case evaluation, or other means will be scheduled for a settlement conference and conducted in accordance with MCR 2.401.  

H.	Trial Scheduling and Management

[Insert court procedure – (Trials should be scheduled in a manner that minimizes adjournments for scheduling conflicts and ensures trial date certainty.)]

I.	Monitoring Systems

The court’s case management system will: 

1.	Monitor case progress;

2.	Generate reports for measuring pending inventory and measuring compliance with the time guidelines.

Specific reports that will be available from the case management system are:  cases with no next action date, age of pending cases, number of cases pending beyond time standards by judge, age of cases at each event, age of cases at disposition, time intervals between events, and exception reports.

Date: _____________________		_________________________________
Signature of Chief Judge