1st Edition

The Art and Practice of Court Administration

By Alexander B. Aikman Copyright 2007
    484 Pages 4 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    The Art and Practice of Court Administration explores the context in which court administration is practiced and identifiesthe qualities and skills court administrators need.

    Divided into two major parts, part one covers the history of the field

    and how courts are organized, environmental conditions in which court administration is practiced, special impact on courts of the elected clerk of court, prosecutor, and the sheriff, the judge’s administrative roles, as well as how a judge’s judicial and administrative roles work with management. The second part reviews a new approach for setting and adjusting priorities among the multiple functions courts perform—the Hierarchy of Court Administration. It defines priorities, analyzes court roles that establish mission critical functions, and sets an agenda for advancing courts throughout this century.

    Thorough and complete, The Art and Practice of Court Administration details how courts operate, the court administrator’s position and responsibilities, and approachestoissues and problems.

    Introduction
    Judicial Administration and Court Administration
    Court Administration and Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
    Structure of This Book
    THE CONTEXT FOR COURT ADMINISTRATION
    An Historical Context
    The Pioneers
    Critical Nurturing and Facilitating Organizations
    Context Associated with Court Organization, Vocabulary, and Filings
    Current Organizational Constructs For Handling Caseload
    Across the States
    A Common Vocabulary
    Alternatives to Current Trial Court Structure
    Caseloads in State and Federal Courts
    The Environmental Context: Social and Political Factors
    Courts in Our Government Structure: Separation of Powers, Checks and Balances, and Court Administration
    Courts in Society
    Funding and Its Influence on Court Administration
    The Environmental Context: Clerks of Court, Prosecutors, and Sheriffs
    Clerk of Court
    The Prosecutor
    The Sheriff
    The Environmental Context: Working With Trial Court Judges
    Election, Tenure, and Removal of Judges
    Judges as Professionals and Managers
    The Different Perspectives of Judges and Administrators
    The Independence of Trial Judges
    The Chief Judge–Administrator Team
    The Administrator and the Bench
    The Relationship between Participation on Statewide Committees and Court Administration
    The “Elbow” Staff of Judges
    THE ART OF PRACTICING COURT ADMINISTRATION
    On Being a Court Administrator
    Nature of the Position
    Court Administrators’ Skills and Qualities
    The Need for Leaders in Court Administration
    The Hiring Process for Court Administrators
    Introduction to the Hierarchy of Court Administration
    Constitutional and Statutory Mandates
    The Hierarchy of Court Administration Explained
    Adjudicative and Administrative Imperatives
    Hierarchy of Court Administration: Mission-Critical Needs
    Maslow’s Hierarchy and the Hierarchy of Court Administration
    Mission-Critical Functions Explained
     
    Hierarchy of Court Administration: Security and Continuity of Operations
    Maslow’s Hierarchy and the Hierarchy of Court Administration
    Security
    Continuity of Business Operations
    Hierarchy of Court Administration: External Relationships
    Maslow’s Hierarchy and the Hierarchy of Court Administration
    Relationships Based on Law
    Relationships Based on Structure and Funding Sources
    Attorneys, Bar Associations, and Others Who Participate in Litigation
    Broader Societal Relationships
    Hierarchy of Court Administration: Proactive Management
    Maslow’s Hierarchy and the Hierarchy of Court Administration
    One Trial Court at a Time
    Outputs, Not Inputs
    Evaluating Programs and Projects
    Assuring Data Quality and Using Data to Determine Management
    Decisions
    Planning, Mission and Vision Statements, and Environmental Scanning
    Identifying and Adopting Best Practices from Other Courts
    Problem-Solving Courts
    Refining Caseflow Management
    Improving the Jury Experience
    Embracing Technology and Finding New Ways to Benefit From It
    Inducing and Managing Change
    Attracting and Retaining Staff
    Assuring Access
    Interaction with the Community
    Working with and Supporting Stakeholder Organizations
    Maintaining and Adapting Facilities
    Hierarchy of Court Administration: Leadership Organization
    Maslow’s Hierarchy and the Hierarchy of Court Administration
    Qualities of Leadership Organizations
    Concluding Thoughts
    Bibliography
    Index

    Biography

    Alexander B. Aikman, Jack Rabin, Philip Carrizosa, Joyce Barnes, Bryan Borys

    “…discuss the sensitive issue of court reporters, technological obsolescence, and the highly unusual economic arrangement they enjoy in so many court systems. He also discusses how courtroom staff can develop direct relationships with judges, giving them grater influence and status that their place on the organizational chart might otherwise indicates. … The Art & Practice is so broad, comprehensive, and well-informed … discusses the need for more flexible, creative courthouse design in the future … strikes a perfect balance between a serious, well researched, rigorous discussion of the field of court administration while at the same time writing in an accessible tone that makes the book a pleasure to read. …”
    — In National Association for Court Management, May 2007
    “… discuss the sensitive issue of court reporters, technological obsolescence, and the highly unusual economic arrangement they enjoy in so many court systems. He also discusses how courtroom staff can develop direct relationships with judges, giving them grater influence and status that their place on the organizational chart might otherwise indicates. … The Art & Practice is so broad, comprehensive, and well-informed … discusses the need for more flexible, creative courthouse design in the future … strikes a perfect balance between a serious, well researched, rigorous discussion of the field of court administration while at the same time writing in an accessible tone that makes the book a pleasure to read. …”
    —In Court Communique, Vol. 8, Issue 2, 2007
    “ … Aikman strikes a perfect balance between a serious, well-researched, rigorous discussion of the field of court administration while at the same time writing in an accessible tone that makes the book a pleasure to read.”
    —Karl Thoennes, Court Administrator for the 2nd Judicial Circuit, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA,  www.courtethics.org
    "I think this book will fill a gap in the literature now available for those trying to develop a more complete sense of court administration and the court administrator role.”
    — Dr. John Hudzik, Vice President, Global Engagement and Strategic Projects, Michigan State University
    "…it is simply wonderful. … It is the detailed enumeration of the duties, responsibilities and challenges of trial court administrators and their relations with their varied audiences and environments that make [this] book so outstanding.”
    — Ed McConnell, President (retired), National Center for State Courts and retired State Court Administrator, New Jersey
    “I like both the content and the flow. … [This book] is a work that will serve to define the field for generations to come. … [Aikman has] shown the broadest possible insight into the levels of skill and effort needed to establish a new level of court administration.”
    — Ernie Friesen, Consultant and trainer in court administration, retired Professor of Law, Cal-Western School of Law, San Diego, California, and former Executive Director, Institute of Court Management