This will come as especially welcome news to the Southwestern border courts, which have experienced a 125% increase in criminal caseload over the past three years.

In 1993, Legal Aid handled 126,172 criminal cases, roughly 65 percent of the city's indigent criminal caseload.

The overall criminal caseload, meanwhile, is up 13 percent from 1989, although it is down somewhat from its peak during the crack epidemic.

In the last four years, the criminal caseload has increased 21 percent, with drug-related cases growing nearly 85 percent, the report said.

His criminal caseload has risen to 3,246 indictments last year from 2,233 in 1995.

In 2003, the overall growth in the criminal caseload stemmed primarily from immigration and firearms cases, as filings for these offenses reached their highest levels ever.

Despite the problems arising from the increasing criminal caseload, discovery provided to defendants in criminal cases is nil.

But several months ago, the Giuliani administration had proposed giving the bulk of that criminal caseload to the Legal Aid Society in a cost-saving effort.

But it may also bring about new ways of dealing with the city's immense criminal caseloads and better justice at lower cost.

State courts are already pressed to the limit to cope with their demanding criminal caseloads, and need help.