The first chapter reviews the history and current status of the office of chief judge of the U.S. district court, followed by a chapter that presents an overview of the chief district judge as leader. A discussion of the elements of the chief judge's leadership role considers formal and informal sources of authority, responsibilities, the relationship of the chief judge with other constituencies, structures and practices of district court governance, and the preparation and orientation for new chief district judges. Also considered in this chapter are leadership and management skills and techniques. In addressing Federal judicial administration at the national level, the third chapter focuses on the chief justice of the United States, the Judicial Conference of the United States, the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, the Federal Judicial Center, and the U.S. Sentencing Commission. A chapter on Federal judicial administration at the regional level considers circuit judicial councils, chief circuit judges, circuit executives, and State-Federal judicial councils. A chapter on district court units and personnel contains sections on U.S. bankruptcy judges; U.S. magistrate judges; Federal public defenders, community defenders, and other methods of providing representation; external agencies; and the following court employees: clerk of court, probation officers and pretrial services officers, court reporters, and court interpreters. The two remaining chapters discuss the chief district judge's management and administrative functions, as well as case management responsibilities and options. A 35-item bibliography and a subject index