SOURCES OF STRAIN BETWEEN THE COURTS AND THE COMMUNITIES INCLUDE THE GROWING INFLUENCE OF LAW AND THE LEGAL SYSTEM ON THE LIVES OF ORDINARY CITIZENS, THE INCREASING COMPLEXITY AND PROFESSIONALIZATION OF THE LEGAL SYSTEM, THE TENDENCY OF SOME ADMINISTRATIVE AND ORGANIZATIONAL REFORMS TO REMOVE THE JUSTICE SYSTEM EVEN FURTHER FROM THE COMMUNITY, THE CHANGING COMPOSITION OF THE POPULATION SEEKING TO USE JUDICIAL SERVICES IN CIVIL CASES, AND THE PUBLIC'S GROWING UNWILLINGNESS TO ACCEPT INJUSTICE. APPROACHES TO IMPROVING COURT-COMMUNITY RELATIONS INCLUDE MEASURES DESIGNED TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE ACCESSIBILITY, HUMANITY, DIVERSITY, AND ACCOUNTABILITY OF THE SYSTEM. ENHANCED ACCESS FOR LITIGANTS MAY BE ACHIEVED BY SEEKING TO REMOVE ECONOMIC, KNOWLEDGE, LANGUAGE, GEOGRAPHIC, PSYCHOLOGICAL, AND PROCEDURAL BARRIERS. A SECOND APPROACH IS TO IMPLEMENT PROGRAMS TO MITIGATE THE INCONVENIENCE, EXPENSE, CONFUSION, AND DISILLUSIONMENT EXPERIENCED BY MANY JURORS, WITNESSES, AND VICTIMS. OTHER APPROACHES INCLUDE INCREASING COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN THE DECISIONMAKING PROCESS (E.G., RETURNING DISPUTE RESOLUTION RESPONSIBILITIES TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS) AND ENLARGING THE ROLE OF THE LAY COMMUNITY IN JUSTICE SYSTEM GOVERNANCE. POSSIBLE STRATEGIES FOR PURSUING EACH OF THE FOUR APPROACHES ARE SUGGESTED. NOTES ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)