Legislation creating the district court was intended to improve the administration of justice by integrating the activities of municipal courts and trial justices. Part-time magistrates were replaced by full-time, legally trained district court judges. In discussing the bill (Public Law, 1961, c. 386) that created the court, this book considers statutory provisions, determination of district lines, and the dynamics of the bill's passage. The review of the establishment of the court addresses such topics as the appointment of the screening and evaluating committees, the work of the District Court Rules Committee, the search for court facilities, and the activation of the various district courts. The discussion of the court's growth addresses caseload increase, judicial personnel increase, and integration into the Judicial Department. The section on the court's criminal and civil jurisdictions concludes that a Maine district court judge exercises a more extensive and diverse jurisdiction than most judges in any limited jurisdiction court in the Nation and more than many general jurisdiction judges who preside in only one division of a general jurisdiction trial court. Chapter notes, subject index, appended supplementary caseload and personnel statistics and information.