FOLLOWING MISSOURI JUDICIAL REFORMS IMPLEMENTED SINCE 1976, THE KANSAS CITY MUNICIPAL COURT EXPERIENCED COPING PROBLEMS WITH GROWTH, PERSONNEL TURNOVER AND MORALE, AND GOVERNMENTAL INTERAGENCY RELATIONS. ASSISTANCE WAS REQUESTED TO ANALYZE THE GENERAL ADMINSTRATION OF THE MUNICIPAL DIVISION WITH EMPHASIS ON PERSONNEL ISSUES AND ANY PROBLEMS CAUSED BY THE COURT'S RECENT ABSORPTION INTO THE STATE COURT SYSTEM. THE CONSULTANTS REVIEWED COURT MATERIALS SUCH AS CONSTITUTIONAL AND STATUTORY DOCUMENTS, CITY RULES AND REGULATIONS, COURTRULES, AND PERSONNEL STRUCTURE. DURING A SITE VISIT, RELEVANT RECORDS WERE EXAMINED AND INTERVIEWS HELD WITH ALL LEVELS OF PERSONNEL. IT WAS FOUND THAT COURT REFORM IN MISSOURI HAS PLACED THE FORMER KANSAS CITY MUNICIPAL COURT IN THE UNIQUE POSITION OF BEING THE MUNICIPAL DIVISION OF THE SIXTEENTH CIRCUIT COURT, FINANCIALLY DEPENDENT UPON THE CITY OF KANSAS CITY, UNDER AUTHORITY OF THE CIRCUIT, AND YET NOT UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE PRESIDING JUDGE FOR CASE DOCKETING OR COURT MANAGEMENT MATTERS. IN ADDITION, IT FACES PROBLEMS OF GROWTH, PERSONNEL TURNOVER AND MORALE, AND FUTURE PLANNING NEEDS. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE COURT FIRST COME TO A CONSENSUS ON ITS NEW POSITION WITHIN THE STATE JUDICIAL SYSTEM AND ISSUE A POLICY STATEMENT THAT WILL PROVIDE GUIDELINES AND DIRECTION FOR FUTURE DECISIONS IN COURT ADMINSTRATION, PARTICULARLY PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT AND TECHNOLOGICAL PLANNING. APPENDIXES CONTAIN FOOTNOTES, A NEWS CLIPPING, AND A PARTIAL LIST OF PERSONS INTERVIEWED BY THE CONSULTANTS. (MRK)