ABSTRACT
In courts of limited jurisdiction, the clerk and administrator positions are combined. Because courts of limited jurisdiction are created or authorized by the legislature, there is no constitutional requirement for a separate clerk of court position. When prosecutors are not rigorous about the charges they file or the plea bargains offered, court resources have to be devoted to disposing of weak cases and allocating precious time for criminal trials that may end up with pleas to reduced charges on the day of trial. Sheriffs-and all leaders of law enforcement agencies-usually are happy to work with courts to improve the management of deputy sheriffs' time spent in the courthouse. In many courts, the negotiations are success-ful –although not always smooth –but there also are many instances where the negotiations are not successful and courts' desires to improve or to introduce new programs are stymied.
