NCJ Number
76242
Date Published
1980
Length
23 pages
Annotation
The 1980 annual report of the New Mexico Judicial Council is presented.
Abstract
The membership, duties, and number of meetings held by the council are reported, and programs and studies are described for the areas of jury administration, redistricting, court monitoring, continuances, trailing dockets, and judicial qualifications and selection. New studies initiated involved an analysis of appellate courts, witness fees, penalty assessments, and grand jury reforms. Other matters which came before the council but did not result in formal action included plea bargaining, citizen perceptions of the courts, the Christian Conciliation Service, foster placement, metropolitan court problems, the quality of judges, sites of oral arguments, magistrate election districts, and probate judge training. Recommendations offered in the area of jury management deal with (1) lessening the inconvenience to citizens of serving as jurors, (2) broadening citizen participation in the jury system and distributing the responsibility for participation in an equitable fashion, (3) increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of judicial activity, (4) reducing the length of the juror's term of service, and (5) reducing the number of trials on which an individual juror serves during a term. Recommendations are also offered in the areas of continuances, trailing dockets, the selection of appellate judges and justices, qualifications for judicial office, waiver of extradition proceedings, appeals from magistrate court, and the Administrative Procedures Act. No references are given.