NCJ Number
50165
Journal
State Court Journal Volume: 2 Issue: 3 Dated: (SUMMER 1978) Pages: 3-7,40-47
Date Published
1978
Length
13 pages
Annotation
HIGHLIGHTS FROM A 3-DAY CONFERENCE HELD TO DEDICATE THE NEW HEADQUARTERS OF THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR STATE COURTS AND TO EXAMINE ISSUES CONFRONTING THE STATE COURTS ARE REPORTED.
Abstract
THE CONFERENCE BROUGHT TOGETHER 350 JURISTS AND OTHER PARTICIPANTS TO HEAR PRESENTATIONS BY U.S. SUPREME COURT CHIEF JUSTICE WARREN BURGER, SENATOR EDWARD KENNEDY, ATTORNEY GENERAL GRIFFIN BELL, AND OTHERS. THE PURPOSE OF THE CONFERENCE WAS TO ESTABLISH A COMMITMENT FOR CONCERTED ACTION IN IMPROVING STATE COURTS. CONFERENCE MONOGRAPHS, WORKSHOPS, AND PANEL SESSIONS WERE ORGANIZED AROUND SIX TOPICS: THE PUBLIC IMAGE OF THE COURTS; COURTS AND THE COMMUNITY; COURTS AND THE AMERICAN SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT; INTERNAL ORGANIZATION AND PROCEDURES OF COURTS; INTERNATIONAL MODELS FOR COURT IMPROVEMENT; AND IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES. CONFERENCE MATERIALS INCLUDED THE FINDINGS OF A NATIONAL SURVEY OF PUBLIC OPINION REGARDING THE COURTS. THE SURVEY FOUND THAT THE PUBLIC WAS LARGELY UNINFORMED ABOUT THE COURTS AND THAT A WIDE GAP EXISTED BETWEEN THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND JURISTS WITH REGARD TO PERCEPTIONS OF COURT-RELATED ISSUES. CONFERENCE SPEAKERS SUGGESTED SOME EXPLANATIONS FOR THE SURVEY RESULTS AND DISCUSSED POSSIBLE RESPONSES BY THE COURTS TO PUBLIC CONCERNS. CONFERENCE PARTICIPANTS DISCUSSED ALTERNATIVE METHODS OF DISPUTE RESOLUTION, CITIZEN ACTIVITY IN THE COURTS, CASE MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL OF LITIGATION, ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE AND METHODS, AND THE RELATIONS OF STATE COURTS WITH OTHER GROUPS (FEDERAL COURTS, CONGRESS, FEDERAL EXECUTIVE, GOVERNORS, STATE LEGISLATORS). OTHER TOPICS INCLUDED COURT DELAYS, COSTS, BUDGETING, SENTENCING, BAR REGULATION, JUDICIAL SELECTION, TRAINING, COURT SUPPORT PERSONNEL, AND THE EFFECTS OF DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS ON COURT PLANNING. PLANS TO PUBLISH THE CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS AND RELATED MATERIALS ARE NOTED. (LKM)