Judge Tom Novak says Collin County district courts lead state in case dispositions

Judge Tom Novak, a district judge, told the Collin County commissioners that the county's district courts dispose cases faster than nearly any other county in Texas, citing data published by the Office of Court Administration in Austin.

"This is the best metric in the state among all of the counties," Novak said, describing published figures on filings and dispositions. He told the court the judges handle a larger population and more cases per judge than most counties and that the courts have avoided backlogs. Novak said the county disposed roughly 31,000 cases last year and highlighted juvenile justice work, noting about 1,000 juvenile cases adjudicated in the prior year.

Novak said the county's July 2024 population estimate (about 1,250,000) helps explain rising filings and the need for courts to keep pace with growth. Commissioners responded with praise for the courts' efficiency: one pointed to an average time-to-disposition of about "five months and six days," and another commended judges for doing "more with less."

The presentation cited the Office of Court Administration's statewide data as the source for the comparisons; Novak said some civil filings increased significantly last year, and he urged continued attention to resources tied to caseload growth. No formal action was taken beyond the presentation; commissioners asked follow-up questions and Novak offered to provide additional data on request.