A circuit-by-circuit review of case law governing award of attorneys' fees in class actions and an examination of abuses in fee requests. The report also includes a discussion of judges' and attorneys' attitudes toward fee computation. Recommendations focus on procedures, implemented early in litigation, designed to avoid problems when fee requests are submitted.

An early report on a study of the role and functions of circuit executives. The authors describe the birth of the circuit executive concept and its legislative history, assess the impact of circuit executives on federal judicial administration and provide a systematic review of the strong and weak points of the various circuits' experiences under the Circuit Executive Act.

A critical analysis of particular research into federal criminal sentencing activity. The authors indicate methodological error in prior work on sentencing guidelines and suggest alternative approaches.

Reprint of article describing the judge's sentencing options in terms of the relationship between the formal sentence as imposed and the offender's subsequent treatment by the Parole Commission, the Bureau of Prisons, and the probation office. Examines policies and practices of agencies with postsentencing responsibility in terms of the policies' impact on the sentencing process. Reprint of 84 Federal Rules Decisions 175 (1980).