NCJ Number
55149
Date Published
1977
Length
106 pages
Annotation
KENTUCKY'S COURT SYSTEM IS PROFILED IN ONE OF A SERIES OF REPORTS PREPARED BY THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR STATE COURTS TO FACILITATE IMPLEMENTATION OF AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION (ABA) STANDARDS ON COURT ORGANIZATION.
Abstract
THE REPORT IS BASED ON A REVIEW OF KENTUCKY'S CONSTITUTION, LAWS, COURT RULES, ANNUAL COURT REPORTS, AND PROCEDURAL MANUALS. AN OVERVIEW OUTLINES INFORMATION ON COURT STRUCTURE (APPELLATE AND TRIAL COURTS); THE JUDICIARY (QUALIFICATIONS, SELECTION, TERM OF OFFICE, DISCIPLINE, REMOVAL, RETIREMENT AGE, CONTINUING EDUCATION, PARAJUDICIAL OFFICERS); ADMINISTRATION AND PROCEDURE (ADMINISTRATIVE AUTHORITY, STATE- AND COURT-LEVEL ADMINISTRATION, POLICYMAKING AND RULEMAKING AUTHORITY, NONJUDICIAL PERSONNEL); FINANCE AND BUDGET (FUNDING, FINES AND FEES, BUDGETING PROCEDURES); AND INFORMATION SYSTEMS (RECORDKEEPING, STATISTICS, DATA PROCESSING). THE DEGREE OF CONFORMITY BETWEEN EACH ASPECT OF COURT OPERATIONS AND THE ABA STANDARDS IS NOTED. CHARTS DEPICT COURT ORGANIZTION (INCLUDING THAT UNDER A REORGANIZATION PLAN TO HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED IN JANUARY 1978), JURISDICTIONS, AND COURT FUNDING SOURCES. THE MAIN BODY OF THE REPORT CONSISTS OF DETAILED INFORMATION ON THE COURT SYSTEM COMPONENTS COVERED BRIEFLY IN THE OVERVIEW. THE INFORMATION IS ARRANGED TO CORRESPOND TO ABA STANDARDS ON UNIFIED COURT SYSTEMS, JUDICIAL COMPETENCY AND INDEPENDENCE, RULEMAKING AND POLICYMAKING, ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES, FINANCING AND BUDGETING, AND INFORMATION SYSTEMS. A CHART INDICATING THE DEGREE OF SIMILARITY BETWEEN THE KENTUCKY COURTS AND EACH ABA STANDARD IS KEYED TO THE BODY OF THE REPORT. SOURCE DOCUMENTS ARE LISTED. (LKM)