Senate Journal: Page 64: Tuesday, January 10, 1995

    WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO REVIEW.  BECAUSE MANY OF THE PROPOSALS ARE OUTSIDE
    OUR AUTHORITY, WE FORWARD THEM TO YOU, CONFIDENT THAT YOU WILL TAKE
    APPROPRIATE ACTION.

         THE COURTS CAN SET AN EXAMPLE FOR THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY BY
    RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF STOPPING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.  WE CHALLENGE
    OTHERS TO JOIN US IN BRINGING AN END TO THIS SCOURGE.

         ON ANOTHER MATTER, THE SUPREME COURT HAS RECENTLY INITIATED A
    LONG-RANGE STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS.  THIS EFFORT WILL INCLUDE AN
    EXAMINATION OF SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, POLITICAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL TRENDS, AND
    AN ASSESSMENT OF CURRENT AND FUTURE ISSUES CONFRONTING THE COURTS.  THIS
    EFFORT WILL PROVIDE US WITH A FOUNDATION FOR FACING UP TO THE DEMANDS OF
    THE FUTURE.  AS THAT BASEBALL SAGE, YOGI BERRA, ONCE WISELY PUT IT,
    "YOUVE GOT TO BE CAREFUL IF YOU DONT KNOW WHERE YOU ARE GOING, BECAUSE
    YOU MIGHT NOT GET THERE!"

         WE HAVE ATTEMPTED THROUGH THESE STUDIES BOTH TO ADDRESS ANY OF OUR
    SHORTCOMINGS AND TO PLAN FOR OUR FUTURE.  ONLY WITH YOUR ASSISTANCE CAN
    WE OVERCOME OUR MOST IMMEDIATE PROBLEM -- MEETING THE PUBLICS
    EXPECTATIONS FOR JUSTICE WHEN THE HIGH DEMAND EXCEEDS OUR RESOURCES.

         MORE THAN AT ANY TIME IN THE HISTORY OF OUR STATE, THE PEOPLE OF
    IOWA ARE TURNING TO THE COURTS FOR HELP.  PEOPLE SUCH AS:

         -- THE PERMANENTLY INJURED TRUCK DRIVER SEEKING     JUDICIAL REVIEW
    OF A WORKECOMPENSATION AWARD,

         -- THE DIVORCED PARENTS OF TWO LITTLE GIRLS FIGHTING     OVER
    CUSTODY OF THE CDREN, AND

         -- THE SEVEN-YEAR-OLD GIRL WHO NEEDS PROTECTION FROM     SEXUAL
    ABUSE BY HER MERS LIVE-IN BOYFRIEND.

         THE NUMBER OF CASES COMING TO THE COURTS IS AT AN ALL-TIME HIGH.
    THE SOARING CASELOAD IS ATTRIBUTABLE, IN PART, TO INCREASES IN THE MOST
    DIFFICULT TYPES OF CASES: CRIMINAL, JUVENILE, AND DOMESTIC ABUSE.  THESE
    CASES, WHICH DEMAND OUR BEST AND MOST CAREFUL EFFORTS, CONSUME THE
    GREATEST PART OF OUR COURT TIME.  RATHER THAN RECITE STATISTICS NOW, I
    HOPE YOU WILL REVIEW THE INFORMATION PROVIDED WITH THESE REMARKS.

         CRIMINAL CASES HAVE ALL BUT HIJACKED THE COURTS DOCKET.  FILINGS IN
    MAJOR CRIMINAL CASES, WHICH HAVE SHOT UP 92% SINCE 1984, NOW OUTNUMBER
    CIVIL FILINGS AND THE GAP IS WIDENING.  CONSTITUTIONAL AND STATUTORY

Iowa General Assembly

Index: Senate Journal (76th General Assembly: Session 1)

© 1995 Cornell College and League of Women Voters of Iowa

Comments? sjourn@legis.iowa.gov.

Last update: Sun Jan 14 23:40:00 CST 1996
URL: /DOCS/GA/76GA/Session.1/SJournal/00000/00064.html
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