Memorandum

To:	All Judges
From:	William L. Martin, III
Subject:	April Distress
Date:	November 5, 1997

As of today there are 25 working days and 38 actual days until the end of the term, when all April cases are constitutionally required to be out. As of this morning, the Distress List on the S-drive indicated that there are 99 cases remaining. The cases breakdown as follows: Non- drafted - 3; In Progress - 8; Drafted - 37; Circulating - 41; and Whole Court (seven judge cases) - 10.

Eight of the eleven judges' offices have nine or fewer cases remaining on their distress lists. Please remember the policy in the Internal Operating Manual, XXIX Processing Opinions.

"It is the duty of every judge to give his/her prompt attention to an opinion prepared by an associate. This duty results not only from common judicial courtesy but from necessity of processing cases with reasonable diligence in view of the workload of the Court. THE REVIEW OF OPINIONS PREPARED BY OTHER JUDGES SHALL HAVE FIRST PRIORITY OVER THE PREPARATION OF OPINIONS IN A CASE ASSIGNED TO THE REVIEWING JUDGE."

Please keep up the good work. A steady flow of cases coming down from the judges' offices makes the processing of the cases from the clerk's standpoint much easier and cuts down on errors, mistakes and other problems we have with the cases.

Thank you.

cc: Clerk's Office Personnel