The Business of the Australian State Supreme Courts Over the Course of the 20th Century

This study examines the changing patterns in the appellate caseload of the six Australian state supreme courts over the course of the 20th century, based on cases contained in the official state reports at decade intervals between 1905 and 2005. The main findings include a decrease in the importance of family and estates and real property since the 1970s and a corresponding increase in the importance of criminal cases. The proportion of cases concerned with public law, torts, contract and debt, and corporations and partnerships have all been relatively low over the 20th century. Explanations are provided for the observed trends and comparisons drawn with the findings of extant studies for the supreme courts in the United States.