From the mid-1980's, two primary developments in the Dutch courts have occurred. First, due to increasing caseload problems, the infrastructure of the judiciary has been improved. This has involved an increase in the number of judges and other court staff, the modernization of working methods, automation projects, decentralization of court management competencies, and the rationalization of procedural law. The second development is the improvement of the external structure of the judiciary. With the central concept of the so-called integration as a guideline, the organization is being transformed into an integrated three-tier court system, in which one category of courts will be competent for all civil, criminal, and administrative proceedings in the first instance; another category of courts handles all appellate proceedings; and one court (the Supreme Court) reviews proceedings. All these changes also relate to an important change in the corporate culture of the judiciary. Since the judiciary still cannot cope with the actual caseload, attempts are being made to limit the number of cases by stimulating various forms of alternative dispute resolution and by improving the case flow by making procedures more efficient and effective. 4 references