NCJ Number
79064
Journal
Judges' Journal Volume: 20 Issue: 3 Dated: (Summer 1981) Pages: 10-15
Date Published
1981
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This article discusses the work of the Judicial Administration Division's (JAD's) Committee on Implementation of the Standards of Judicial Administration (CISJA).
Abstract
CISJA's national activities began with the creation of the committee in 1974. That same year, the American Bar Association (ABA) house of delegates approved a set of standards relating to court organization, the first of the standards on judicial administration. In 1976, a second volume on standards relating to trial courts was approved and in 1977, the third volume of standards relating to appellate courts was approved. In 1977, CISJA's charge was broadened to include implementation of all three sets of standards. The goals of the standards are to simplify the organization, management, and financing of State court systems and to establish procedures to assure the quality and accountability of the judiciary. Among other subjects, the standards cover court organization and administration; personnel and services; financing, budgeting, and recordkeeping; use of juries; provision of counsel; caseflow management; and appellate procedures. They call for State funding and centralized budget and fiscal procedures. Implicit throughout the standards is the concept that judges shall manage the judicial branch of government. Long-range plans of the CISJA; recent CISJA State assistance projects in Georgia, Oregon, and Minnesota; case histories of standards implementation in Kentucky, Wisconsin, New York, Utah, and Washington; and other reform efforts are discussed. A Federal evaluation of CISJA is also briefly reported; it recommended funding for another year. Endnotes are included.