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ACTIVITIES OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OF THE U.S. COURTS ANNUAL REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR Leonidas Ralph Mecham 1998 This report was produced by Office of Public Affairs Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts Thurgood Marshall Federal Judiciary Building Washington, D.C. 20544 Phone: (202) 502-2600 EN 2 ITD =scncsnnsnneseetiontenmmnmpeneminananemmmnnnmemnnnenees 6 IED scnnconmnamsenmnmmaneinnimmmnnsene 7 Support to the Judicial Conference, Judges, and Courts........... 13 in Profile: The Administrative Office ...................cccccccccsseecssseresreeeeees 46 1998 Annuat Report of THE Director 1 ( ( 10) Henna ae) Chany ¢ ( by 1¢ Gan ae 2 aea | Q)] \Vdnnyy WsSteat ( tt | {yt hJenyt t¢ (yf It) ek thou Ove Vay ( | htt WLP ora) he success of the Administrative court criminal filings registered a To can be measured by its double-digit increase for the first time in ability to prepare and adequately 26 years. Each quarter there is a new equip judges and court staff to carry out record level of bankruptcy filings. Re- their responsibilities. Our job is to an- grettably, another constant has been the ticipate needs, remove obstacles, and number of judges available to tackle the solve problems before they occur. workload. No new Article III judgeships When judges requested a secure have been created since 1990 and no network to electronically share drafts of new bankruptcy judgeships since 1992. opinions, we created one. When the Ex- This focuses the spotlight on the Ad- ecutive Branch failed to provide funds ministrative Office to develop creative for new courthouses, the Administrative and efficient approaches to work, which Office successfully helped take the case will help judges to cope with the record directly to Congress. When judges ex- demands they are facing. pressed concerns about insufficient ben- An important facet of this respon- efits, a high-level benefits initiative team sibility is the ability to effectively com- was established to study this issue for municate to a Judiciary that is spread the entire judicial branch. across the country and has a wide vari- In 1998 the Administrative Office ety of needs. While there are obvious ad- completed system-wide projects that vantages to standardization, local court have been in progress for years, practices often demand specially tai- launched new studies, conducted valu- lored responses. The Administrative Of- able training, and developed new ways fice has a responsibility to share local to measure and evaluate resource needs. successes and failures with the appro- Every year it seems that we are doing priate interested persons throughout the more. We are doing it quicker. And, I be- judicial branch. I believe we have in lieve, we are doing it better. place the communications infrastructure As was the case when it was cre- to do this. ated in 1939, the Administrative Office In my 13 2-year tenure as Direc- continues to provide administrative sup- tor, mail has been replaced by fax, port, program management, and policy which in turn has been replaced by e- development assistance to federal courts mail as the primary method of commu- nationwide. However, over the years, the nicating crucial timely information to changing environment both inside and the courts. For 30 years, The Third outside the Judiciary has required the Branch has been a key Judiciary com- Administrative Office to maintain a munications tool. This year it has been flexible approach to its work. When a joined by the Federal Judicial Television judge or court asks for help, we need to Network (FJTN). be available. In 1998 the FJTN provided timely A rare constant has been upward and useful training and information to spiraling caseloads. In 1998, district judges and courts nationwide. When 1998 Annuat Report of THE Director 3 ers. The DCN connects ap proximately 700 court sites na tionwide and enables users to do everything from draft and produce court opinions to share Judicial Conference committee policy recommendations. The DCN also provides the framework for the J-Net, which already has brought significant efficiencies and cost savings to Judiciary operations. Essential manuals and guides today not only are found on courthouse bookshelves, but also have been placed on the J-Net, where they can be updated easily and searched by users. Administrative Office as- sessments indicate that judges al. ready are beginning to witness the the new benefits of many of the innovative Boston courthouse options they are offered, particularly opened, the FJTN was there to in the technological arena. Court- give viewers a guided tour. When the room technologies such as video evi- government switched to a new credit dence presentation, videoconferencing, card carrier, Judiciary employees re- electronic court reporting, and electronic ceived a prompt and valuable orienta- case files have been found to improve tion through the FJTN. With nearly 200 case management, reduce trial time and courthouse satellite installations by the litigation costs, and improve fact-find- Administrative Office complete and ing, jury understanding, and access to more expected, the FJTN soon will be court proceedings. The Administrative one of the largest civilian federal broad- Office will continue to stress the devel- cast networks, second only to the Social opment of innovative and versatile ap- Security Administration. proaches to court operations. Another vital communications The Judiciary 's responsibility to link — the Data Communications Net- spend taxpayer dollars constructively work (DCN) — was completed this and wisely plays a role in daily Adminis- year bringing to a close an effort begun trative Office activities. At the same in 1991 to provide judges and court em- time, we strive to make operations and ployees a secure and efficient way to processes as simple as possible. Ia m communicate via their desktop comput- pleased that two programs were recog- ACTIVITIES OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE OrFice of THE U.S. Courts nized with national awards this past their adoption. Judicial Conference sup- year. The General Services Administra port has and always will be an essential tion singled out the Administrative Administrative Office function. Just as Office's long-range facility planning certain is our commitment to equitable process for receipt of a best practices compensation for judges and adequate award and the agency s alternative ap- funding for Judiciary operations and proach for ordering furniture was recog programs, including courthouse nized with the National Performance projects. Review s Hammer Award. Numerous While I am extremely proud of the Administrative Office programs demon- Administrative Office and its accom- strate similar commitments to innova- plishments, I fully recognize that there is tion and cost consciousness. The Jury much more to accomplish. As we near Modernization Project, which currently the close of the millennium, now more is being tested, should reduce the cost of than ever the Judiciary can rely on the jury selection, management, and track- Administrative Office for its prudent ing. The already successful Bankruptcy stewardship of funds, thoughtful and Noticing Center expanded its opera: novel alternatives to daily operations. tions this year and processed and mailed and skillful and efficient approaches to approximately 70 million notices. An in- management. On behalf of the Adminis- sightful report on federal death penalty trative Office, I can assure judges and costs was conducted and submitted to court staff that we are committed to do- Congress. A strong and active manage. ing this —-a nd much more — in 1999. ment council has adopted a comprehen- sive approach to addressing what is known as the Y2K or year 2000 prob- lem. Whether we are developing a streamlined advisory group system or implementing a new work measurement initiative, the Administrative Office re- mains steadfastly mindful that our man- date is to serve the Judiciary. While the type and form of service has varied over the years, one constant of Administra- tive Office operations has been support to the Judicial Conference and its committees. This work entails much more than planning biannual meetings. Un- der the direction of judges, staff conduct studies, prepare drafts, and dutifully implement Conference policies following 1998 ANnnuat Report of THE Director NCIC employees take pride in them many mportant responsibilities, which include supporting the ludictal Conference of the United States and IS COM AMItlees helping Obtain neces ary PECSOLERC ¢ from Oy eas res Wid hOQO IN) TV rOousTY for 1\ morove the uralit f aay LK, fon. re ‘\ dministrative Office managers policies as they pertain to bills affecting and staff work closely with the organization and operation of fed- judges and court employees na- eral courts, appropriations, courthouse tionwide to provide a seamless web of construction and maintenance, and any administrative support to ensure that other amendments offered to recent leg- the federal court system runs smoothly. islation. They prepare draft testimony, Agency employees take pride in their coordinate responses to inquiries from many important responsibilities, which Congress, and meet regularly with include supporting the Judicial Confer- House and Senate members and staff on ence of the United States and its com- issues of importance to the Judiciary. mittees, helping obtain necessary re- An important facet of the legisla- sources from Congress, and looking tive program is communicating the continuously for ways to improve the Judiciary s budget needs. In support of quality of services, manage better, and the Judicial Conference Committee on economize. the Budget, chaired by Judge John G. As federal courts face record lev- Heyburn II, agency staff provide daily els of work, Administrative Office staff liaison with House and Senate appro- stand ready to use the latest technology, priations committee staff. assist in developing innovative case-pro- cessing measures, and provide whatever egislative Activity other guidance and support are necessary so that judges and court employees The second session of the 105th can continue to discharge their duties ef- Congress included activity on a wide fectively and efficiently. range of issues important to the Judi- This report on Administrative Of- ciary. Congressional oversight hearings fice activities during 1998 describes the continued to focus on judicial resources progress and results of the agency s ef- and so-called judicial activism. forts. The chairs of 10 Judicial Confer- ence committees testified before congressional committees in 1998. Confer- ence representatives advocated the pas- Congressional sage of bills containing recommendations of the Conference, but also ex- Relations plained why the Conference opposes legislation that could adversely affect Administrative Office staff sup- the Judiciary. port the Judicial Conference and its committees by identifying and monitor- FUNDING FOR COURTHOUSES ing legislation that could have an impact APPROVED BY CONGRESS © For fiscal year 1999, the Judiciary on the federal Judiciary. They assist in proposed 14 new courthouse construc- the articulation of Judicial Conference 1998 ANNUAL Report oF THE Director Administrative Office staff support the Judicial Conference and its committees by identifying and monitoring legislation that could have an impact on the federal Judiciary. tion projects, totaling $507 million. The Lamar Davis also ‘estified, and Judge Administration, however, failed for the John Gibson submitted written state- second year in a row to include money ments on behalf of the Judicial Confer- for new courthouses in its budget re- ence Committee on Security and Facili- quest to Congress. The budget did in- ties to the House and Senate appropria- clude $25 million for repair and alter- tions committees. Chief Justice William ation projects. Despite opposition from H. Rehnquist, Director Mecham, and the Administration, the Judiciary was judges with proposed courthouses all successful in obtaining funding for communicated the need for new court- courthouse construction. Judge Norman house funding to Congress. Finally, H. Stahl, Chairman oft he Judicial Con- judges and Administrative Office staff ference Committee on Security and Fa- hosted congressional staff on visits to cilities, and Director Mecham met early several of the courthouses. Congress in the year with congressional leaders, agreed that it was important to continue and Judge Stahl testified three times be- funding the courthouse construction § fore the House and Senate authorizing program and ultimateiy approved fund- committees to explain the importance of ing for all of the proposed new court- resuming courthouse funding. Judges houses, except for one in Savannah, Michael Ponsor, Avant Edenfield, and Georgia, which was deferred for further Activities oF THE ADMINISTRATIVE OrFice of THE U.S. Courts