THE STUDY SAMPLE INCLUDED JUDGES FROM SMALL, MEDIUM, AND LARGE MULTI-JUDGE COURT SYSTEMS. OF 292 JUDGES CONTACTED, 204 COMPLETED QUESTIONNAIRES. THE FINDINGS INDICATE THAT THE PRESIDING JUDGES, EVEN THOSE WHOSE COURTS DO NOT HAVE ADMINISTRATORS, VIEW THE CONCEPT OF COURT ADMINISTRATORS FAVORABLY. THE FINDINGS ALSO INDICATE A WILLINGNESS ON THE PART OF THE JUDGES TO DELEGATE OR ASSIGN A WIDE RANGE OF DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES TO TRIAL COURT ADMINISTRATORS. THE FUNCTIONS MOST FREQUENTLY NOTED AS APPROPRIATE FOR ADMINISTRATORS ARE SPECIFICALLY NONJUDICIAL IN NATURE (E.G., FISCAL MATTERS, SPACE AND EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT, SYSTEMS ANALYSIS, REPORT MANAGEMENT). THE FUNCTIONS DELEGATED LEAST FREQUENTLY, SUCH AS PUBLIC RELATIONS, CASEFLOW MANAGEMENT, AND PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATION, ARE MORE JUDICIAL IN NATURE OR INVOLVE A REDISTRIBUTION OF POWER WITHIN THE COURT SYSTEM. THE JUDGES' PERCEPTIONS OF THE FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF COURT ADMINISTRATORS COMPARE FAVORABLY WITH ENACTED LEGISLATION AND WITH STANDARDS ESTABLISHED BY VARIOUS BODIES. TWO FACTORS -- REGION OF THE COUNTRY AND NUMBER OF JUDGES IN THE COURT SYSTEM -- AFFECTED THE RESPONDENTS' ATTITUDES AND ROLE PERCEPTIONS. SUPPORTING DATA ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)