DURING 1978, A SLIGHT REDUCTION WAS APPARENT IN NEW FILINGS IN THE APPELLATE COURT (4,381 IN 1977 TO 4,337). A 2 PERCENT DECREASE IN THE NUMBER OF CASES PENDING AT THE END OF THE YEAR WAS SEEN FOR THE SECOND CONSECUTIVE YEAR. HOWEVER, THE NUMBER OF CASES TERMINATED WAS 4,472 COMPARED WITH 4,579 IN 1977, REPRESENTING A DECREASE OF 2 PERCENT. AT THE CIRCUIT COURT LEVEL, THE STATISTICS INDICATE A 7 PERCENT INCREASE IN NEW FILINGS FROM 3,504,680 IN 1977 TO 3,751,826. ALSO SHOWN WERE A 3 PERCENT INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF TERMINATIONS AND A 6 PERCENT INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF CASES PENDING AT THE CLOSE OF THE YEAR. IN THE COOK COUNTY LAW DIVISION CIRCUIT COURT, 15,354 CASES WERE TERMINATED IN 1978 COMPARED WITH 12,996 IN 1977, AN INCREASE OF 18 PERCENT. HOWEVER, DELAY FROM DATE OF FILING TO DATE OF VERDICT INCREASED FROM 45.3 MONTHS IN 1977 TO 47.8 MONTHS IN 1978. IN THE COOK COUNTY CRIMINAL DIVISION CIRCUIT COURT, THE INVENTORY OF PENDING CASES WAS REDUCED FOR THE SECOND CONSECUTIVE YEAR. AT THE CLOSE OF 1978, THE PENDING INVENTORY OF UNTRIED FELONY CASES STOOD AT 5,872, REPRESENTING A 6 PERCENT REDUCTION FROM 1977 FIGURES. THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OF THE COURTS WAS GIVEN THE ADDED RESPONSIBILITY OF ADMINISTERING A STATEWIDE SYSTEM OF ADULT AND JUVENILE PROBATION OFFICER SALARY SUBSIDIES, OF DEVELOPING MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS FOR HIRING AND PROMOTING PROBATION OFFICERS, OF DESIGNING UNIFORM RECORDKEEPING AND STATISTICAL SYSTEMS, AND OF CREATING A TRAINING PROGRAM. TO CARRY OUT THESE TASKS, A PROBATION DIVISION WAS ESTABLISHED WITHIN THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE. PHOTOGRAPHS, CHARTS, AND TABLES, ARE INCLUDED. A STATE CONSTITUTIONAL ARTICLE ON THE JUDICIARY, THE JUDICIAL SALARY STRUCTURE, AND A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OF THE COURTS ARE APPENDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--LWM)