RESEARCH TECHNIQUES USED TO GATHER AND EVALUATE INFORMATION FOR THE MANUAL INCLUDED SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRES SENT TO OVER 350 STATE COURTS, SITE VISITS, EXTENSIVE SEARCH OF LITERATURE ON OFFICE EQUIPMENT SUITABLE FOR USE IN COURT SYSTEMS, AND MEETINGS WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF BUSINESS EQUIPMENT VENDORS. LARGE VOLUMES OF INFORMATION ARE RECEIVED AND PROCESSED BY COURTS, BUT MOST HAVE BEEN RELUCTANT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF TECHNOLOGICAL PROGRESS AND CONTINUE TO USE TECHNIQUES AND EQUIPMENT THAT ARE TIME-CONSUMING, COSTLY, DUPLICATIVE, AND OFFER INADEQUATE PROTECTION FOR STORED RECORDS. TO ENSURE THAT ONLY THE NECESSARY RECORDS ARE CREATED, MAINTAINED, AND AVAILABLE, CONTROL METHODS SHOULD BE EXERCISED AT THE FOLLOWING STAGES: CREATION OR RECEIPT; MAINTENANCE; RETRIEVAL, USE, AND DISTRIBUTION; AND DESTRUCTION, LONG TERM STORAGE, OR MICROFILMING. THE MANUAL DESCRIBES A SYSTEMS APPROACH TO ASSESS THE INFORMATION NEEDS OF THE COURT, DESIGN A RECORDS SYSTEM, SELECT A CONTRACTOR, AND FINALLY IMPLEMENT AND EVALUATE THE SYSTEM. FUTURE TRENDS IN OFFICE EQUIPMENT ARE DISCUSSED, SUCH AS ELECTRONIC TRANSFER SYSTEMS. SECTIONS ON TEXT EDITING EQUIPMENT, FILING SYSTEMS, AND REPRODUCTION MACHINERY DESCRIBE THE TYPES AND CAPABILITIES OF MACHINES, APPLICATION TO COURT RECORDS, OPERATING PROCEDURES, AND SOME COST ANALYSIS. A GLOSSARY OF TERMS USED IN DESCRIBING BUSINESS EQUIPMENT IS INCLUDED. (MJM)