ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a general review of the American Bar Association (ABA) Standards Relating to Court Organization. The most standards, or principles, of court organization endorsed by the ABA have been published twice during 1974 and 1990. A unified court structure has the following characteristics: uniform jurisdiction, simple jurisdictional divisions and uniform standards of justice. Trial courts are run by judges or other judicial officers who are not full-fledged judges, but who can perform specific duties just as well. The appellate court reviews trial court proceedings and formulates, develops, and advances the rules of law. The appellate court is either the highest court or an intermediate court when the workload is too great. If there is an intermediate appellate court, appeals to the supreme court should be limited to important matters, such as capital cases, or to emergencies. The jurisdiction of the intermediate appellate court should be for all types of cases and specialized appellate courts should be avoided.
