NEW JERSEY WAS ONE OF THE FIRST STATES TO MOVE TOWARD COURT UNIFICATION WITH ITS ADOPTION OF A CONSTITUTIONAL ARTICLE IN 1947 REFORMING THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM. THE COURT SYSTEM IS COMPRISED OF A COURT OF LAST RESORT (SUPREME COURT), AN INTERMEDIATE APPELLATE COURT (APPELLATE DIVISION OF THE SUPERIOR COURT), TWO TRIAL COURTS OF GENERAL JURISDICTION (SUPERIOR COURT AND COUNTY COURT), AND THREE COURTS OF LIMITED JURISDICTION (COUNTY DISTRICT COURTS, JUVENILE AND DOMESTIC RELATIONS COURTS, AND MUNICIPAL COURTS). THE SUPREME COURT EXERCISES APPELLATE JURISDICTION IN THE LAST RESORT FOR ALL CASES. COUNTY DISTRICT COURTS HAVE JURISDICTION IN CONTRACT, PENALTY, AND TORT ACTIONS INVOLVING $3,000 OR LESS AND IN LANDLORD-TENANT CASES AND SMALL CLAIMS INVOLVING $500 OR LESS. JUVENILE AND DOMESTIC RELATIONS COURTS HAVE EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OVER JUVENILES BUT NO APPELLATE JURISDICTION. MUNICIPAL COURTS HAVE AUTHORITY OVER ORDINANCE VIOLATIONS, TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS, AND OTHER SPECIFIED CRIMES AND OFFENSES, INCLUDING SOME CRIMES WHERE INDICTMENT AND TRIAL BY JURY ARE WAIVED. PROCEDURES PERTAINING TO THE FOLLOWING AREAS HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED: THE QUALIFICATIONS, SELECTION, AND TERM OF THE JUDICIARY; THE DISCIPLINE AND REMOVAL OF JUDGES; COMPENSATION; RETIREMENT AGE AND ACTIVE SERVICE; CONTINUING EDUCATION; AND THE USE OF PARAJUDICIAL OFFICERS. THE CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT IS THE ADMINISTRATIVE HEAD OF ALL COURTS IN THE STATE. THE DETAILED PROFILE OF THE COURT SYSTEM CONCERNS THE COURT OF LAST RESORT, INTERMEDIATE APPELLATE COURT, TRIAL COURT OF GENERAL JURISDICTION, TRIAL COURT OF LIMITED JURISDICTION, JUDGES, PARAJUDICIAL OFFICERS, NONJUDICIAL PERSONNEL, JUDICIAL POLICYMAKING AND ADVISORY BODIES, COURT ADMINISTRATION, COURT FINANCING, COURT RECORDS AND STATISTICS, AND COURT REFORM. SOURCES OF INFORMATION USED TO PREPARE THE PROFILE ARE LISTED. ORGANIZATIONAL CHARTS OF THE COURT SYSTEM ARE INCLUDED. DATA ON SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE NEW JERSEY COURT SYSTEM AND AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION STANDARDS RELATING TO COURT ORGANIZATION ARE PROVIDED. (DEP)