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Rules Relating to District Courts

Rule 107
General and Administrative

Duties of Chief Judge

In every judicial district the Supreme Court shall designate a chief judge who shall have general control over the assignment of cases within said district under supervision of the Supreme Court. Assignment of cases shall be designed to distribute as equally as is reasonably possible the judicial work of the district. The chief judge of each district shall be responsible for and have general supervisory authority over the clerical and administrative functions of the court.

Upon consultation with and approval by the departmental justice, the chief judge may appoint another judge of the district to act on a temporary basis in the absence of the chief judge.

At least once a month in single-county districts and at least once every three months in multiple-county districts the chief judge shall call a meeting of all judges within the district for the purpose of reviewing the state of the dockets within the district and to discuss such other business as may affect the efficient operation of the court. Within guidelines established by the Supreme Court, by the judges of the judicial district, or by statute, the chief judge shall have the following responsibilities.

(a) Personnel Matters. The chief judge shall have supervision over recruitment, removal, compensation, and training of nonjudicial employees of the court.

(b) Trial Court Case Assignment. Cases shall be assigned under the supervision of the chief judge. Under the chief judge's supervision, the business of the court shall be apportioned among the trial judges as equally as possible and the chief judge shall reassign cases as necessity requires. The chief judge shall provide for the assignment of cases to any special division established in the court. A judge to whom a case is assigned shall accept that case unless the judge is disqualified or the interests of justice require that the case not be heard by that judge.

(c) Judge Assignments. The chief judge, with the approval of the other judges, shall provide for the assignment and reassignment of judges to any specialized division of the court. The chief judge shall prepare an orderly plan for vacations. The plan shall be approved by the judges of the court and shall be consistent with statewide guidelines.

(d) Information Compilation. The chief judge shall have responsibility for development and coordination of statistical and management information.

(e) Fiscal Matters. The chief judge shall supervise the fiscal affairs of the court.

(f) Committees. The chief judge may appoint standing and special committees necessary for the proper performance of the duties of the court.

(g) Liaison and Public Relations. The chief judge shall represent the court in business, administrative or public relations matters. When appropriate, the chief judge shall meet with (or designate other judges to meet with) committees of the bench, bar, and news media to review problems and promote understanding.

(h) Improvement in the Functioning of the Court. The chief judge shall evaluate the effectiveness of the court in administering justice and recommend changes.

[History: Am. effective September 8, 2006; Am. effective May 6, 2009.]