Ultimate responsibility for the efficient and effective operation of the judicial system resides with the Supreme Court. The Constitution establishes the Supreme Court's administrative responsibility for the judicial system by designating the chief justice as the administrative head of the judicial system. In addition, the state constitution also grants the Supreme Court supervisory authority over the legal profession. Article VI, Section 3, states that the Supreme Court shall have the authority, "unless otherwise provided by law, to promulgate rules and regulations for the admission to practice, conduct, disciplining, and disbarment of attorneys at law."
To help it fulfill these administrative and supervisory responsibilities, the Supreme Court relies upon the state court administrator, presiding judges, and various advisory committees, commissions and boards. The functions and activities of these various bodies during 1999 are described in the subsequent pages of this report.
A diagram of the administrative organization of the North Dakota judicial system is provided below.