The report describes the county's civil court system in terms of court administration, court divisions, and the role played by the clerk of the court. Functional issues considered here include caseload type and variance, management practices, mediation, county traffic matters, county court civil matters, and technology. The third section projects future needs for civil judges as part of the new courthouse planning phase. The evaluation shows that the Orange County civil courts compare favorably both nationally and statewide in terms of the committed use of alternative dispute resolution techniques, disposition times, and backlog. Recommendations for further increasing court efficiency and effectiveness include using more hearing officers for certain traffic cases, implementing an active court management program for civil cases from the date they are filed, and continuing the emphasis on diverse means of dispute resolution. 3 tables, 27 figures, and 3 appendixes