Evaluating Court Performance: Findings from Two Italian Courts

Abstract

This study is part of a wider research project aimed at developing and testing a Performance Measurement System (PMS) for courts based on a Balanced Scorecard (BSC) framework. The current study represents an initial effort to describe results of a performance measurement attempt that may suggest some challenges in developing a comprehensive PMS for courts. We have tried to assess the performance in two Italian courts focusing on three issues: efficiency measures (clearance rates, case turnover, and disposition time), culture assessment, and Information Systems (IS) success. Our findings provide some useful and interesting insight for researchers and practitioners.