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Court of Appeals chief judge warns of rising caseload and editorial backlog, supports modest budget increase
Summary
Chief Judge Michael Godola told the House appropriations subcommittee the Court of Appeals recommended a roughly $400,000 increase for fiscal 2026, described a backlog in edited published opinions and a pending caseload that rose to about 3,771 cases; he said the court may request additional research attorneys next year if clearance rates do not
Chief Judge Michael Godola of the Michigan Court of Appeals told the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Corrections and Judiciary that the court recommends a roughly $400,000 increase for fiscal 2026 and is monitoring a rising pending caseload and an editorial backlog that may require additional staffing.
Godola told the panel that the Court of Appeals disposed of 4,613 cases in 2024 while receiving 4,883 new filings. "The number of new filings exceeded the number of dispositions in 2024," he said, and noted that the court's clearance rate has fallen below 100% for the past three years, leaving a pending caseload of about 3,771 cases.
Why it matters: Godola said…
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