Findings were based on statewide surveys of key decisionmakers, along with more extensive data collection in five sites, which included interviews, focus groups, court observations, and file reviews. The findings show that the "old conventional wisdom" of court delay does not account for all the sources of delay. Resources and cases are apparently important explanatory factors in accounting for differences in case processing times across Kentucky courts. Larger populations, lower numbers of judges, and higher numbers of cases are associated with longer case-processing times across Kentucky courts. Judges in the State's largest jurisdictions face the largest child maltreatment caseloads and devote a greater portion of their time to this docket. The assessment also identified several barriers to timely case processing consistent with the "new conventional wisdom" of case delay. These included informal practices, practitioner incentives, and expectations and norms. Informal rules concerning the availability of continuances allowed for delay. Overall, the findings suggest that legislation designed to reduce court case delay cannot be effective without attention to resources and adjustment in the expectations and relationships among the people who regularly make decisions in juvenile/family court. 2 tables, 5 notes, and 22 references