Mich. Admin. Ord. Administrative Order No. 2012-5
Performance measurement is a critical means to assess the services provided to the public and the processes used to deliver those services. Performance measurement can assist in assessing and recognizing areas within courts that are working well, and those that require attention and improvement.
Trial court performance measures are not a new concept. The National Center for State Courts first issued the 10 CourTools in 2005; in the 1990s, SCAO formed a task force, including judges and court administrators, to study how to measure a court's performance. In 2009, the state court administrator convened the Trial Court Performance Measures Committee, which piloted performance measures and offered recommendations. The committee stressed that all trial courts should embrace performance measures as an opportunity to provide high-quality public service in the most efficient way. Further, because transparency and accountability are integral elements of an efficient and effective judiciary, SCAO's standardized statewide performance measure reports should be readily available to the public.
In an effort to ensure continued improvement in the judiciary, the Court adopts this order.
A. The State Court Administrative Office is directed to:
1. Develop a plan for implementation of performance measures in all trial courts. The initial plan shall be submitted to the Supreme Court for approval, and the plan subsequently shall be periodically reviewed by the Court.
2. Assist trial courts in implementing and posting performance measures.
3. In conjunction with the Trial Court Performance Measures Committee, assess and report on the effectiveness of the performance measures and modify the measures as needed.
B. Trial courts are directed to:
1. Comply with the trial court performance measures plan developed by the State Court Administrative Office.
2. Report performance measure information to the State Court Administrative Office.
C. SCAO's standardized statewide performance measure reports shall be made available to the public on the Internet after approval by the Supreme Court.
Mich. Admin. Ord. Administrative Order No. 2012-5