THE ALABAMA COURT SYSTEM OF 1978 IS THE RESULT OF 7 YEARS OF CONSTITUTIONAL, LEGISLATIVE, AND PROCEDURAL MODERNIZATION. STATE JUDICIAL SERVICES ARE DELIVERED THROUGH A SYSTEM THAT ENCOMPASSES THREE KEY FEATURES: (1) FLEXIBILITY OFFERED BY THE AUTHORITY GIVEN THE STATE SUPREME COURT TO DEVELOP AND ALTER PROCEDURAL RULES UNDER WHICH THE SYSTEM OPERATES; (2) UNIFIED ADMINISTRATION OF THE SYSTEM, VESTED AT THE STATE LEVEL IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OF COURTS; AND (3) UNIFIED BUDGETING FOR THE SYSTEM'S TRIAL COURT OPERATION. THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 1,400 FULL-TIME JUDGES, OFFICIALS, AND EMPLOYEES IN 96 TRIAL COURT LOCATIONS WHO COMPRISE THE UNIFIED JUDICIAL SYSTEM. A SIGNIFICANT FUNCTION OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OF COURTS IS THE AREA OF BUDGETARY AND FISCAL OPERATION. THE RECORDS MANAGEMENT DIVISION OF THIS OFFICE HAS REFINED FORMS TO SUPPORT COMPUTERIZATION, MICROFILMING, AND MODERN FILING SYSTEMS. AN INVENTORY OF COURT RECORDS IS UNDERWAY AS PART OF THE TOTAL RECORDS MANAGEMENT AND RETENTION PROGRAM. THE PERSONNEL DIVISION OF THE OFFICE HANDLES ALL APPEALS WITH REGARD TO CLASSIFICATION AND PAY AND HAS DEVELOPED A STATEWIDE REGISTER FOR MERIT SYSTEM CLASSIFICATIONS, INITIATED AN EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION PROGRAM, AND HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR OPERATING AND MAINTAINING 26 DIFFERENT KINDS OF PERSONNEL ACTIONS POSSIBLE UNDER THE SYSTEM. COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY IS BEING USED IN A VARIETY OF WAYS. IN THE PROCESS OF JUDICIAL PLANNING, THREE MAJOR FUNCTIONS HAVE BEEN ACCOMPLISHED: THE DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF PLANNING DATA, THE DEVELOPMENT OF PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS TO IMPLEMENT PRIORITIES ESTABLISHED THROUGH THE PLANNING PROCESS, AND THE DEVELOPMENT AND COORDINATION OF LONG-RANGE AND SHORT-RANGE STUDIES DESIGNED TO IMPROVE THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE. A MUNICIPAL COURT DIVISION HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED WITHIN THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OF COURTS TO ASSIST IN SERVING THE NEEDS OF MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGES. LEGAL SERVICES, TRAINING AND EDUCATION, SERVICES TO LOCAL OFFICES UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OF COURTS, SPECIAL PROJECTS, AND EFFECTIVE ADMINISTRATION AND ORGANIZATION ARE PART OF THE REORGANIZED JUDICIAL SYSTEM IN ALABAMA. GRAPHICAL ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE SYSTEM AND STATISTICAL DATA FOR 1977 ARE INCLUDED. (DEP)