The impetus for pretrial services program planning came from the enactment of a bail reform act which grew from a general atmosphere supporting court reform in the State. The planning process was faced with two major obstacles. Planning time was very limited and county court system judges were opposed to the restructuring process. Legal issues which had to be resolved included community safety concerns, needs for confidentiality of information, needs for access to local criminal records, and bail administration questions. Other issues related to the legality of a recently enacted uniform bail act and of a law outlawing bail bonding for profit, bail forfeiture handling, and questions on time limits on presenting defendants to magistrates for the setting of bail. Organization structure, evaluation, personnel policy, recordkeeping, and funding also required consideration. Planning for the pretrial release, mediation, and diversion components consisted of developing overall goals, establishing a planning design consisting of specific objectives, and implementing the plan. For the mediation and diversion programs, planning was carried out at the local level with State oversight and assistance. Because these programs were affected by both administrative and structural issues, local judge involvement was extensive. The pretrial services agency is now involved in maintenance planning to keep programs functioning smoothly once they reach maturity. Planning for maintenance is different and often more demanding than is planning for implementation of a new program. Footnotes are provided.