1.	The Court of Appeals of Georgia has begun to accept electronic filings from attorneys who represent litigants in cases before the Court. It initiated a test of the electronic filing system (titled EFAST) in November 2009 and opened the system to all attorneys December first. Currently, all types of briefs may be filed electronically (Appellant's Briefs, Appellee's Briefs, Appellant's Reply Briefs, Amicus Curiae Briefs, and Supplemental Briefs). The Court of Appeals expects to begin accepting notices and motions electronically and begin issuing the corresponding court orders electronically in January 2010.

2.	Last year, the Court was instrumental in fostering legislation to increase the Court's filing fee in civil case from $80 to $300 bringing the fee more in line with the real cost of the administrative tasks it funds and bringing in additional revenue to the state. This is the first increase in the filing fee since 1991.

3.	The caseload of the Court of Appeals remains one of the highest in the country and exceeds recommended national standards. In 2008 there were 273 filings per judge and the Court issued more than one thousand, three hundred published opinions. These written opinions are a vital key to the stability of the justice system and the guarantee in the United States and Georgia Constitutions of equal treatment under the law of all citizens. The timely resolution of the many types of appeals which are filed in this appellate court such as termination of parental rights and child custody cases, large commercial contracts, wrongful death suits, and criminal law violations ranging from drug cases to rape to manslaughter affect the freedom, safety, property and happiness of Georgia citizens.

4.	The state law mandates that the Court act quickly to dispose of the appeals brought to it. The Georgia Constitution requires the Court to dispose of all direct appeals within the term the appeal was docketed and the next term or the appeal will be affirmed by operation of law. Applications for discretionary review are disposed of within 30 days of filing and interlocutory applications in no more than 45 days as required by statute. In addition, a number of statutes require the Court to act as expeditiously as possible to dispose of specific types of appeals such as appeals in which the appellant is incarcerated, the state is a party, in child custody cases, public lawsuits, etc. These requirements answer the need of litigants to have finality in their lives and financial dealings. Despite the recent budget reductions, which have required the Court of Appeals to absorb a 12% reduction in personnel, the Court continues to meet its constitutional and statutory deadlines even with a smaller workforce and diminished operating expenses.