The Supreme Judicial Court holds final appellate authority regarding the decision of all lower courts, and it exercises general superintendence over the administration of the lower courts. Data on caseload activity show that fiscal year 1995 was marked by a continuing increase in the proportion of criminal cases to total cases, continuing increases in the cases submitted for non-discretionary review, maintenance of the court's high standards for the speed of scheduling arguments and issuing opinions, and the implementation of a procedure to provide greater advance notice of oral arguments. Highlights of superintendence activity included major initiatives to revise and update rules of procedure and professional conduct, adoption of a policy and creation of a standing committee on substance abuse and the courts, receipt of a Federal grant to improve the handling of foster care and adoption cases in Massachusetts courts, and significant achievements in the ongoing work of court automation and capital projects. The Appeals Court is a court of general appellate jurisdiction; most appeals from the several divisions of the trial court are entered initially in the Appeals Court. The report of the Appeals Court includes caseload data, data on origin of appeals, and information on court programs. Also included in this report are the fiscal year 1995 annual reports of the chief justices of each of the seven trial court departments, as well as the Commissioner of Probation and the Jury Commissioner. These reports highlight the achievements and the challenges these departments have experienced during the past fiscal year. A total of 829,900 cases were reported as disposed of by the seven departments. The 5-year summary of cases entered in Massachusetts Courts addresses each of the fiscal years 1991- 95. Data are presented by case type for the Boston Municipal Court, district courts, housing courts, juvenile courts, land court, probate and family courts, Superior Court, Appeals Court, and the Supreme Judicial Court.