BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON THE COURT'S JURISDICTION, CASELOAD, ORGANIZATION AND STAFFING, AND FACILITIES IS PROVIDED. EIGHTEEN RECOMMENDATIONS, TOGETHER WITH SUPPORTING ANALYSES, ARE PRESENTED RELATIVE TO CHANGES IN THE HANDLING OF PAPERWORK AND THE HANDLING OF MOTIONS, INCREASES IN JUDICIAL AND RESEARCH RESOURCES, AND IMPROVEMENTS IN ADMINISTRATIVE LINKAGES WITHIN THE COURT. THE STUDY FOUND THAT, AS HAS BEEN THE CASE WITH APPELLATE COURTS IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS, JUDGES AT THE FOURTH DISTRICT COURT VIEWED THE HIGH LEVEL OF FRIVOLOUS COMPLAINTS AS THEIR GREATEST PROBLEM. SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE DIRECTED TOWARD DEVELOPING THE ADMINISTRATIVE CAPABILITY TO IDENTIFY AND SCREEN OUT AT AN EARLY STAGE THOSE CASES THAT ARE TRULY FRIVOLOUS, THUS FREEING JUDICIAL RESOURCES TO CONCENTRATE ON CASES MERITING APPELLATE REVIEW. RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE SECOND PHASE OF THE FOURTH DISTRICT COURT STUDY, WHICH FOCUSED ON THE PROCEDURES OF THE CLERK'S OFFICE, ARE DETAILED IN A SEPARATE VOLUME (SEE NCJ-45068). (LKM)