"Pending dispositions" are cases that have been filed but not yet disposed by conviction, acquittal, or dismissal, excluding period when cases are not within the active management control of the court. The number of pending cases at the end of the court year increased from 17,045 in 1984 to 24,834 in 1990. The increase in the number of pending dispositions can be attributed directly to the increase in filings over the period. Data do not support the argument that the increase in pending cases results from delays in case processing. Data indicate that the average time from filing to disposition has improved since 1984 and has been relatively stable since 1987. In response to increased filings, there has been a modest increase in the number of judge days during the average court term since 1988. The system has also attempted to deal with the increased number of filings by changing filing practices for certain types of crime. Alternate measures of backlog and productivity are described. 13 figures, 8 notes, and 7 tables