NCJ Number
46
Date Published
1970
Length
33 pages
Annotation
THE INCREASING COMPLEXITY OF AMERICAN URBAN LIFE CREATES AN ADMINISTRATIVE BURDEN ON COURT SYSTEMS WHICH CANNOT BE HANDLED BY JUDGES AND ROUTINE COURT STAFF ALONE.
Abstract
A PROFESSIONAL COURT EXECUTIVE IS NEEDED TO ORGANIZE AND ADMINISTER NON-ADJUDICATIVE WORK IN THE COURTS UNDER THE GENERAL GUIDANCE OF JUDGES JUST AS CITY MANAGERS, SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS AND HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATORS ADMINISTER THE ORGANIZATIONAL AND MANAGEMENT BURDEN IN OTHER ASPECTS OF OUR LIVES. THE FULLY EFFECTIVE COURT EXECUTIVE WOULD MANAGE A COURT EFFICIENTLY AND ECONOMICALLY, AND BY SUCH ACTIVITY WOULD RELIEVE JUDGES OF MOST ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS WHICH PREVENT THEM FROM FULLY PERFORMING THEIR ADJUDICATIVE ROLE. BY ESTABLISHING AND IMPROVING MANAGERIAL EXPERTISE IN JUDICIAL SYSTEMS, THERE IS A GREATER LIKELIHOOD OF HAVING A WELL-RUN COURT WHICH WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO THE WELL-BEING OF THE COMMUNITY. SINCE 1950 COURT EXECUTIVE POSITIONS HAVE DEVELOPED RAPIDLY THROUGH CONSTITUTIONAL, LEGISLATIVE AND JUDICIAL ACTIONS. IN SOME CASES, NEW POSITIONS WERE CREATED, IN OTHER CASES, OLD POSITIONS WERE EXPANDED. IN BOTH CASES, INCREASING PROFESSIONALIZATION OF THE COURT EXECUTIVE POSITION HAS RESULTED. THIS GROWTH HAS BEEN UNCOORDINATED AND IS NOT BASED ON ANY UNDERLYING BODY OF THEORY. FUTURE DIRECTIONS IN THE COURT EXECUTIVE POSITION SHOULD FOCUS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF A COHERENT PHILOSOPHY OF JUDICIAL MANAGEMENT AS WELL AS THE IMPROVED MANAGEMENT CAPABILITY OF THE COURT EXECUTIVE. EXCHANGE OF MANAGEMENT IDEAS, ALLOCATION OF ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO MANAGEMENT, AND INCREASED EMPHASIS ON MODERN MANAGERIAL TECHNIQUES SHOULD BE MORE FULLY INCORPORATED INTO THE DESIGN OF THE COURT EXECUTIVE POSITION. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)