In reviewing public opinion in the latter part of the 1970's and the first half of the 1980's, pollster Neil Newhouse reports that Americans generally mistrust their institutions and leadership. This extends to the courts, as a majority of Americans believe the courts are too lenient with offenders and impose too much restraint on police. Gladys Kessler, a superior court judge, identifies criteria for measuring court performance. These include how well the court informs the public about its successes and strengths, how well the court avoids racial and sexual bias in decisionmaking, how well the court monitors and constructively modifies its procedures, and how well judges maintain their independence. Based on interviews with legal colleagues and American Bar Association guidelines for judicial performance, John Greacen identifies exemplary characteristics for judges: integrity; able to provide a fair hearing, apply law to specific cases, and disregard public opinion; and maintain fairness of process and consistency. Arthur Snowden, a court administrator, advises that there is no inherent conflict between the goals of judges and court administrators; court administrators seek efficient management of cases within the parameters of due process, and judges appreciate that justice requires efficient case processing. Panel discussions and audience questions are included.