Annual Report

Director's Message

The Year 2006 has been one of transition for the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts (AO). The Judiciary is fortunate to have the steady leadership of Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr. during this time of change. His appointment of Jill Sayenga as Deputy Director of the AO will be of great benefit to the Judiciary, as she brings valuable experience from the courts to the AO and will enhance our ongoing efforts to be responsive to the courts. Thanks also to the efforts of retired Director Leonidas Ralph Mecham and retired Associate Director Pete Lee, my transition in the Director's Office has been a smooth one. Their assistance this past summer reflects their decades of dedication to public service and to the Judiciary.

Although it has been a year of change, it also has been a very productive year for the AO. In 2006, the Administrative Office has made significant progress with the General Services Administration (GSA) in identifying overcharges and finding a long-term solution to the Judiciary's rent calculations in its courthouses; has facilitated the nationwide installation of intrusion-detection systems in judges' homes; has continued to spearhead Judiciary-wide cost-containment efforts; and has helped implement the sweeping reforms in the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act. The AO staffed Judicial Conference committees, drafted congressional testimony, and continued to deploy the latest version of the case management/electronic case filing system. The AO also played a significant role in coordinating efforts in Judicial Conference committees to initiate and implement important ethics reforms within the Judiciary, including the use of automated procedures for determining whether a judge has a financial conflict of interest in a pending case.

This year also has been a natural time to review the structure and services within the AO. We are engaged in an examination of our core mission as defined by statutes and directives from the Judicial Conference to determine if internal adjustments are needed to improve efficiency and responsiveness to our courts. And even if the period of transition were not a convenient time to undertake such a review, it is likely that budget constraints-which have affected the entire Judiciary-would have required such an examination. I have assembled a small advisory group of judges along with leaders from court personnel to assist Deputy Director Sayenga and me in this effort. We will report on our conclusions later in 2007.

Upon arriving at the AO this past summer, I sent a survey to all judges and circuit executives to obtain a sense of the courts' priorities. I am grateful for the responses. As may have been expected, they confirmed and reiterated the Judicial Conference priorities of securing adequate funding, increasing judges' pay, reducing GSA rent charges, preserving judicial independence, and improving the Judiciary's relationship with Congress. These are broad and general goals and, of course, we will seek to accomplish all of them. Frankly, however, what has proved more helpful than the general guidance in the surveys have been the specific suggestions judges, court executives, and other personnel have made in the many face-to-face meetings we have had. I appreciate the opportunities you have given me to meet with many of you at circuit conferences, Judicial Conference committee meetings, association conferences, AO advisory group meetings, and meetings in the courts. Your candid observations and suggestions are not only always welcomed, they are also essential to our ability to serve you better. Several have led to adjustments within the AO already, such as working to make our written communications and guidance more concise; and others, such as observations about the procurement process, are being reviewed for streamlining purposes.

In addition to its service to the courts, the Administrative Office also works very closely with Congress and our Executive Branch partners. These entities must rely on the AO for accurate and responsive information. Cooperative relationships and open lines of communication with them are crucial to solving problems that may arise. The Administrative Office also plays an important role in serving the public, making certain that taxpayers' resources are used as efficiently as possible. We take this responsibility very seriously. I support the delegation of certain financial and administrative authorities to the courts, and it is also important for the AO to ensure that our national internal control measures are functioning well. The AO's comprehensive audit program plays a vital role in accomplishing this objective. It also renders unnecessary any intrusion from other branches, through an Inspector General or otherwise, into the management of the Judiciary. The following report-my first as Director-provides an overview of major Administrative Office activities in 2006. I look forward to hearing your reactions to this report.

—James C. Duff