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The state's judicial system is headed by the Supreme Court with a Chief Justice and six justices. The other courts are the Court of Appeals, with a Chief Judge and nine judges, and 31 district courts. Each judicial district has district judges and district magistrate judges, as prescribed by law.

A major overhaul of the judicial system has taken place in recent years. In 1973 the Judiciary Study Advisory Committee was appointed by the Chief Justice pursuant to legislative authority. The committee made several recommendations for improvement of the court system, and most of the suggestions were eventually implemented by the Legislature.

The state courts and the district courts have been joined to form the Unified Judicial Department. To ease the workload on the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals was created in 1977 and made a part of the department.

Part of the court system overhaul was establishment of a nonpartisan method for selection of district court judges. The majority of districts now use this method. However, it was adopted on a local option basis, and several districts have chosen, by popular vote, to elect their judges by a partisan election process.

A major aspect of the court system overhaul is state financing of the entire personnel cost for the judicial system. These costs have traditionally been borne by the counties, but have now been assumed by the state.

Other court system reforms enacted recently are adoption of a Code of Judicial Conduct and establishment of uniform procedures for district courts.

The Supreme Court maintains a regular program of education, sponsoring a variety of seminars on a continuing basis for judges and support personnel in the judicial system.

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