NCJ Number
137813
Date Published
1992
Length
18 pages
Annotation
The National Association for Court Management (NACM) prepared this pamphlet which describes the history and importance of professional court administrators, the role of court administrators, and qualifications and resources for selecting court administrators.
Abstract
The inability of courts to keep up with growing caseloads, increasing public concern about the quality of the judicial system, and the availability of Federal funds have all contributed to the expansion of the court administration profession. Court administrators perform many functions including human resources management, fiscal administration, caseflow management, technology management, information management, jury management, space management, intergovernmental liaison, community relations, research and advisory services, and secretariat services. The court administrator both increases the amount of time a judge has for adjudication and brings professional management knowledge to the judiciary. The success of a court administrator depends on a defined job description, acceptance by the judges, adequate funding, and good communications with other court personnel. The administrator must have good learning and communications skills, adaptability, motivation, interpersonal skills, and negotiation and teamwork skills. The professional standards set by the NACM for court administrators include administrative ability, business and management techniques, formal training in court administration, high ethical standards, and a degree in judicial administration, public administration, business administration, or law.