Changing Character of Court Organization

• NCJ Number: 89394
• Journal: Justice System Journal Volume: 7 Issue: 3 Dated: (Winter 1982) Pages: 449-469
• Author(s): T A Henderson; C M Kerwin
• Date Published: 1982
• Length: 25 pages
• Grant Number(s): 79-NI-AX-0075; 80-IJ-CX-0095
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute of Justice (NIJ); US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

The article summarizes the findings of an empirical study of the effects of court structure on court management and performance, giving particular attention to the structure supported by advocates of unification.

Abstract

It is argued that unification can be best understood as an effort to define the courts as formal organizations. An assessment of the impact of such changes, therefore, must take account of alternative forms for structuring a judicial system. The field work demonstrated that no simple organizational structure will meet equally well all three types of goals, that is, improved quality of justice, better court management and enhanced political position. Moreover, the two dimensions at the heart of organizational design -- centralization and consolidation -- had independent, sometimes conflicting effects. Finally, the effect of any structural design depends, in large measure, on the type of adjudicatory process involved. (Author abstract)