Courts and lawsuits
US federal civil case outcomes
Short answer
- Civil filings, year to 30 September 2025 (narrative)
- 303,563, up 4 percent 1
- Civil terminations, year to 30 September 2025 (narrative)
- 407,539, up 3 percent 1
- Pending civil cases, 30 September 2025 (narrative)
- 432,923, down 19 percent 1
- Civil trials, year to 30 September 2025 (narrative)
- 3,377, up 2 percent 1
- Percent of terminated cases reaching trial, same year (Table C-4)
- 0.4 percent of 407,379 2
- Median months, filing to disposition, same year (Table C-5)
- 15.6, for 355,243 cases 3
Filings and pending cases
Civil case filings in the US district courts rose 4 percent in the year to 30 September 2025, up 12,667 cases to 303,563 1. Excluding multidistrict litigation (MDL) cases, all other civil filings rose 9 percent 1.
Terminations rose 3 percent to 407,539. As terminations outnumbered filings, pending civil cases fell 19 percent to 432,923 1.
By case type, prisoner petitions rose 5 percent to 42,972 and personal injury filings fell 39 percent to 22,182 1. Filings with the United States as defendant rose 9 percent to 46,426 1.
How the cases ended
Table C-4 groups terminated civil cases by the action the court took before the case ended 2. It records the stage reached, not which side won 2.
The two columns come from different tables and do not count the same cases. Table C-5 excludes land condemnations, prisoner petitions, deportation reviews, recovery of overpayments and enforcement of judgments 3.
| Action taken, year to 30 September 2025 | Cases terminated (Table C-4) | Median months to disposition (Table C-5) |
|---|---|---|
| No court action 2,3 | 60,674 2 | 5.1, for 52,285 cases 3 |
| Court action before pretrial 2,3 | 318,461 2 | 18.8, for 276,057 cases 3 |
| Court action during or after pretrial 2,3 | 26,563 2 | 15.9, for 25,439 cases 3 |
| Trial (Table C-4) or court action during trial (Table C-5) 2,3 | 1,681 2 | 30.7, for 1,462 cases 3 |
| Total 2,3 | 407,379 2 | 15.6, for 355,243 cases 3 |
Notes on the counts
The three Judicial Business 2025 figures for terminations differ, though all cover the 12 months to 30 September 2025. The narrative reports 407,539 terminations 1. Table C-4 shows 407,379 2. Table C-5 gives medians for 355,243 terminated cases 3. This page shows each as published and does not reconcile them.
Of the 1,681 cases Table C-4 counts as reaching trial, 1,182 were jury cases and 499 were non-jury cases 2. The narrative counts 3,377 civil trials in the year 1.
What the outcome terms mean
The courts encourage mediation, arbitration and other forms of alternative dispute resolution, and litigants often agree to a settlement 4. In a civil trial the plaintiff must convince the jury by a preponderance of the evidence 4.
- Settlement: the parties resolve their dispute without having a trial 5.
- Summary judgment: a decision made on statements and evidence presented for the record without a trial 5.
- Default judgment: a judgment in favor of the plaintiff for the defendant's failure to answer 5.
- Dismissal with prejudice: court action that prevents an identical lawsuit from being filed later 5.
- Bench trial: trial by a judge without a jury 5.
The latest 12-month profile
The Federal Court Management Statistics national profile for the 12 months to 30 June 2026 shows a median of 6.9 months from filing to disposition for civil cases and 33.7 months from filing to trial 6. It counts 125,478 civil cases, or 26.2%, as over three years old 6.
The profile is a different series from Table C-5 and covers a later period. Its civil median is lower than the 15.6 months in Table C-5 3,6.
Common questions
What share of US federal civil cases go to trial?
Of the 407,379 civil cases Table C-4 counts as terminated in the year to 30 September 2025, 0.4 percent reached trial 2.
How long does a federal civil case take?
Table C-5 gives a median of 15.6 months from filing to disposition for 355,243 cases terminated in the year to 30 September 2025 3. The Federal Court Management Statistics profile, a separate series, shows 6.9 months for the year to 30 June 2026 6.
How many civil cases are filed in US federal courts each year?
There were 303,563 civil filings in the 12 months to 30 September 2025, up 4 percent 1.
Do the statistics show who won?
No. Table C-4 counts cases by the action the court took, such as no court action or action before pretrial 2.
Rules and charges change. Check the official source linked on this page before you pay or travel. Spotted an error? Email hello@enforcementoutcomes.com.
Sources
- Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts: U.S. District Courts Judicial Business 2025
- Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts: Table C-4, U.S. District Courts Civil Cases Terminated, by Nature of Suit and Action Taken, 12-month period ending 30 September 2025
- Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts: Table C-5, U.S. District Courts Median Time Intervals From Filing to Disposition of Civil Cases Terminated, 12-month period ending 30 September 2025
- Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts: Civil Cases
- Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts: Glossary
- Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts: U.S. District Court Judicial Caseload Profile, 12-month periods ending 30 June 2026
Related
- How civil lawsuits usually end
Most civil cases end without a trial. Official US federal court and England and Wales County Court figures on settlements, defaults and trials.
- How long court cases take
Published median times for civil and criminal cases in the US, England and Wales, the EU, Canada and Australia, with the period each figure covers.
- Settlements without admission explained
What neither admit nor deny settlements mean, the SEC's May 2026 change, and how the FCA, EU, ASIC and French prosecutors treat admissions.
- Appeals and overturned decisions
What affirmed, reversed, remanded and quashed mean, and how often appeals succeed in US federal courts, the EU Court of Justice and English criminal cases.
- Filed, charged and convicted: what each word means
A filed lawsuit, a criminal charge and a conviction are different stages. Official definitions from US and UK courts and prosecutors.