Description
Institutional research, contributing to the organization’s development, is the focus area of this court service. For example, the court may base a new program or specialized division upon a model from another court or similar ones that can be adapted to fit the circuit’s needs. R & D’s role may be to identify and review models and write a concept paper projecting implementation of best practices in the 13th Circuit. Click here to view a summary of the role of R&D in the 13th Judicial Circuit.
Services to the 13th Judicial Circuit include:
- Quarterly Performance Measures Reviews
R & D meets with all court programs and services quarterly to review current performance measures and determine if process reviews are needed to assist operations. R & D may conduct formal program evaluations as assigned by the court administrator.
- Judges Certification
- As an important development function, every year, R & D assists the court administrator in preparing a judges certification to request additional judgeships to be assigned to the circuit under the direction of the chief judge and court administrator. The certification is based upon increases in population and rising case filings and requests that additional positions for judges be created and assigned to the 13th Circuit through a State judicial process.
- Court Division Workflows for Odyssey System
- R & D is involved in projects that assist in technology implementation and have office-wide scope. For example, to assist the Clerk of Court, R & D is supporting the work of Court Technology to provide information regarding the various court divisions and their workflows to inform the specialized development of the Clerk of Court’s new Odyssey case management system.
- Employee Satisfaction Surveys
- R & D conducts surveys to determine the level of employee satisfaction in the AOC and has adapted a survey instrument based on the National Center for State Courts CourTools project. This survey is administered annually to AOC employees to determine the opinions of court staff, and analysis of the results is provided to all AOC departments through the Executive Team. This information is used to provide feedback regarding successful management efforts and focus attention upon areas that may need improvement. Employees contribute valuable ideas through this survey process as well as other traditional methods. Click here for recent Survey Results.
- AOC Routine Services Satisfaction Survey
- Starting in 2008, the AOC started conducting satisfaction surveys for the core business processes performed routinely for judges, judicial assistants, and court staff. The performance of these basic services is measured in part by the level of satisfaction of those receiving the services. The survey is conducted annually and is staggered with any other office-wide surveys to avoid survey fatigue for respondents and maintain a high return rate. Click here for recent survey results.
History
In order to provide information on the latest research impacting the court system and provide assistance in developing court resources, the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) established a Research & Development Department in 2003.
R & D is conducted by an M.P.A. (master’s degree in public administration) level court operations consultant. The M.P.A. is similar to the M.B.A. in private business with more educational focus within the public or government sector. The background of the court operations consultant also includes a graduate certificate from USF in non profit management and a certificate in process management from the Leadership Development Institute (a private training organization associated with the University of Florida).
Performance Measures
Click a department to jump down to their goals & objectives.
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- Court Personnel Resources
- Court Programs
- Fiscal Affairs
- Office of Public Information
- Legal Department
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Central Office
Goal: Promote effective administrative policies and court management to support and develop contemporary court operations and serve as a foundation for successful intergovernmental and public-private relations.
Central - Research & Development
Objective: Research and analyze information of value to organizational development
Performance Measure – Trial Court Issues Report quarterly based on various contemporary court and specialized management publications
Performance Measure – Judges Certification timely submitted yearly with appropriate statistical support to request additional judges
Objective: Promote the development, implementation, and maintenance of contemporary performance measures to document court statistics and satisfaction of court users and provide useful information to inform management decisions
Performance Measure – Satisfaction Surveys, including AOC Employee Satisfaction Survey and AOC Routine Services Satisfaction Survey
Performance Measure – Quarterly reviews of performance measures throughout the AOC
Central - Security
Objective: Emergency preparation and planning
Performance Measure - Updates to Continuity of Operations Plan and emergency contact information
Objective: Coordinate Courthouse Security with all Law Enforcement Agencies at Federal and Local Levels
Performance Measure - Ongoing Communications, established guidelines and standards of operations
Objective: Coordinate Executive Security
Performance Measure - Evaluation and assessment of work environment on and off site. Make recommendations on various security concerns. Initial investigation of concerns or incidents when appropriate. Point of contact with law enforcement on most matters of executive security. Periodic Security Orientations and advisories
Objective: Maintain or Establish Courthouse Design to Maximize Security Systems
Performance Measure - (County statistics) Volume entering courthouse at security monitored central access points; Number of security incidents; Number of weapons confiscated
Fixed Factor Performance Measures:
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Goal: Provide up-to-date technology and information support to the Judiciary and staff in a timely, courteous and professional manner.
Objective: Monitoring of Public Private Contracts
Performance Measure – Designated performance measures and routine reports from vendors.
Performance Measure – Weekly Status Meeting Reports
Performance Measure – Per Seat Price by AOC Department
Objective: To maintain contemporary technology information through training and liaison activities
Performance Measure – Major technology conferences attended or hosted
Performance Measure – Technology Committee Assignments
Performance Measure – Training of staff (how many hours per year and percentage of staff completing minimum)
Objective: To manage computer equipment
Performance Measure – Number of Computer Moves and Replacements
Performance Measure – Quarterly Inventory of equipment (percentage and value of equipment accounted for and not accounted for)
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Goal: Provide appropriate court facilities maintenance to reduce costs, save energy, monitor safety conditions, and extend the life of property and facilities
Objective: Timely Completion of Minor Repairs and Small Projects
Performance Measure - Number of Facilities Calls
Performance Measure - Types of Maintenance Activity by %
Performance Measure - % of Facilities Calls Escalated to County
Performance Measure - Internal Client Satisfaction Survey % Agree or Strongly Agree Effective Completion Maintenance Requests in AOC Routine Services Satisfaction Survey
Goal: Provide efficient facilities and property related services
Objective: Facilitate Space Allocation
Performance Measure - Number of Moves of Court Staff or Judges
Objective: Efficiently Coordinate Mail Delivery
Performance Measure - Satisfaction survey to internal clients in AOC Routine Services Satisfaction Survey
Objective: Efficiently Procure and Account for Property
Performance Measure - Satisfaction survey to judges and court staff regarding accuracy and timeliness of purchasing experiences in AOC Routine Services Satisfaction Survey
Performance Measure - Property accounted for through inventory process
Objective: Facilitate Access for Disabled
Performance Measure - Number of requests for assistance
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