Accurate court case data is essential to achieving timely case resolution, efficient and effective allocation of judicial resources, and supporting policy decisions. Further, court digital data is now exchanged with a myriad of other government agencies impacting driving, criminal, and voting records, and can impact the issuance and quashing of warrants, credit reporting, prison terms length, gun ownership, employment, officer safety, military service, and other significant activities.
Data standards are also integral to an objective measurement and analysis of case processing times achieved in Arizona courts. Standards for what data is collected, and who collects it, are integral to being able to train staff and monitor completeness.
Accordingly, on March 25, 2020, the Steering Committee on Data-Based Court Performance and Data Standards was established by Administrative Order 2020-53. The committee is charged with identifying court data that is needed to make data-based decisions related to case processing, court policy and management decisions, allocation of court resources, and data exchanges with other government entities. The committee will make recommendations regarding what data elements need to be collected in each case type, data governance, and other steps needed to improve data quality. Lastly, the committee will annually review Arizona case management data to assess conformance with the Supreme Court of Arizona’s time standards and, as desirable, recommend adjustments to existing time standards. Administrative Order 2022-172 extended the committee's term to December 31, 2025.