The data indicates a decrease of civil cases in 1999. When comparing 1999 filings with the 1998 district court filings, the civil (generally civil plus small claims) data indicates a 5.6% statewide decrease from 1998.
As percentages, most types of cases remain relatively stable. Notable changes include the number of support actions which decreased 10%. The extensive use of income withholding orders continues to positively reduce the number of child support hearings being scheduled.
Overall, domestic relations filings decreased 11.0%. Within the domestic relations category, child support actions make up 53.4% of the cases; divorce, 24.9%; paternity, 8.0%; adult abuse, 10.1%; and custody and adoption, 3.7%.
Adult abuse filings increased slightly to 1,123 cases in 1999; however, this case type still remains below 1997 levels. Divorce filings decreased 8.9% in 1999 to 2,774 cases. Child support actions, totaling 5,953, were down 12.3% from 6,788 cases in 1998.