The Chief Justice's presentation notes that for an unexplained reason, the case filings for the South Dakota Supreme Court increased dramatically from 425 filings in calendar year 1995 to 465 filings in calendar year 1996, a 10-percent increase. He advises, however, that the Court continues to maintain its current status, and there is no backlog of cases. His assessment of the circuit courts states that the work of these courts continues to increase unabated. Regarding criminal cases, filings for Class II misdemeanors continued a downward trend, but filings for Class I misdemeanors and felonies continued to increase. There was also a significant increase in the number of juvenile filings, with some 10,187 filings, an increase of 192 referrals over the previous fiscal year. The Chief Justice's assessment also includes a review of court services for 1996 and an overview of finances and the budget for the Unified Judicial System. The annual report presents graphic and tabular data on caseloads for the Supreme Court, the circuit court, and court service. Data are also provided on judicial staffing and fines, fees, and finances. Separate sections address civil and criminal caseloads.