ACCORDING TO THE REMARKS MADE BY SEVERAL FEMALE COURT EMPLOYEES WORKING AS REPORTERS, CLERKS, AND BAILIFFS, WOMEN ARE TREATED IN A MANNER CORRESPONDENT TO THEIR EFFICIENCY AND THE WAY THEY ACT. DRESS CODES ARE NO LONGER IMPOSED IN MOST COURTROOMS AS MORE WOMEN ENTER THE FIELD. ALTHOUGH FEMALE COURT REPORTERS AND CLERKS HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED FOR A LONG TIME, WOMEN BAILIFFS ARE NEWER TO THE COURT IN MEANINGFUL NUMBERS. TRADITIONALLY, WOMEN HAVE APPEARED MOST OFTEN IN CRIMINAL COURT AS DEFENDANTS IN PETTY THEFT OR PROSTITUTION CASES. NOW THERE IS A GREAT INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF WOMEN APPEARING AS LITIGANTS IN DIVORCE AND CUSTODY CASES, PROBATE PROCEEDINGS, AND CONSUMER RIGHTS ACTIONS. SOME WOMEN PARTICIPATE IN THE COURTROOMS AS WITNESSES, BUT MANY, PARTICULARILY THOSE OF A LOWER SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS, ARE RELUCTANT TO TAKE THE TIME AND TROUBLE NECESSARY TO APPEAR IN COURT. TO EASE THE BURDEN IN TERMS OF TIME, EXPENSE, AND CONFUSION TO THE WITNESS, A WITNESS PROJECT WAS DEVELOPED IN LOS ANGELES MUNICIPAL COURT IN 1975 THROUGH LEAA FUNDING, AIMED AT INCREASED VOLUNTARY WITNESS PARTICIPATION. DAY-CARE CENTERS, INFORMATION DESKS, AND PARKING AND EATING FACILITIES WERE PROVIDED. WOMEN OBSERVERS IN COURT TEND TO VISIT TRIALS BECAUSE THEY ARE PERSONALLY INVOLVED IN THE CASE, ARE TRACKING CASES AND REPORTING BACK TO INTERESTED GROUPS, OR ARE CHECKING SENTENCING HABITS OF JUDGES. PRESS CORPS WOMEN IN THE COURTS ARE NOT UNUSUAL, AND THEY ARE RARELY MET WITH DISCRIMINATION. FEMALE JUDGES AND ATTORNEYS, THOUGH GROWING IN RANKS, ARE STILL PROPORTIONATELY FEW COMPARED TO THEIR MALE COUNTERPARTS. WOMEN MAY NEED BETTER CREDENTIALS OR MORE PUBLIC RECOGNITION THAN MEN TO GET TO THE BENCH, BUT ONCE THERE, THEY ARE JUDGED ON MERIT. LAW SCHOOLS ARE BEGINNING TO GRADUATE A LARGE NUMBER OF WOMEN. FEMALE ATTORNEYS ARE AT AN INTERESTING STAGE OF PROGRESS IN THE TRIAL COURT: FORMAL POLITENESS. THEY NOTICE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF DISCRIMINATION FROM MALE ATTORNEYS, BUT EQUAL OPPORTUNITY PROGRAMS WORKING IN LARGE LAW FIRMS APPEAR TO INFLUENCE AND HELP GAIN THE ACCEPTANCE OF YOUNGER MALE ATTORNEYS. (DAG)