28 U.S.C. § 472 — Development and implementation of a civil justice expense and delay reduction plan

(a) A district court's civil justice expense and delay reduction plan must be created or chosen only after the court considers recommendations from an advisory group. Section 478 of this title explains how that advisory group is appointed. (b) The advisory group must give the court a report. The court must make this report public. The report must include: (1) an assessment of the matters listed in subsection (c)(1); (2) the reasons the group recommends the court write its own plan or pick a model plan instead; (3) suggested measures, rules, and programs; and (4) an explanation of how the recommended plan follows the rules in section 473 of this title. (c) (1) Before making its recommendations, the advisory group must quickly and thoroughly study the court's civil and criminal caseload. The group must: (A) determine the state of the civil and criminal dockets; (B) spot trends in how many cases are being filed and how much they demand of the court; (C) find the main causes of cost and delay in civil cases, including court procedures and how lawyers and their clients handle litigation; and (D) look at whether new legislation's effect on the courts could be better predicted to cut cost and delay. (2) The group must also account for the specific needs of the district court, the people suing or being sued there, and their lawyers. (3) The group must make sure its recommendations include real contributions from the court, the parties, and their lawyers toward cutting cost and delay and making the courts easier to access. (d) The district court's chief judge must send a copy of the finished plan and the group's report to: (1) the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts; (2) the judicial council for the court's circuit; and (3) the chief judge of every other district court in that circuit.