State Court Assistance Act

State Court Assistance Act - Establishes within the Federal Judical Center a Division of State Court Assistance whose purpose it shall be to furthur the adoption and development of improvements in the organization, procedure, and administration of local and State courts.

Provides that the activities of the Division shall be supervised by a Board which shall have final responsibility for establishing Division policies, and shall, except as otherwise provided, exercise the authority granted to the Division. Provides that 5 members of the Board shall be appointed by the President. Provides that representatives from the Conference of Chief Justices, the National Conferences of Court Administrators, the National Conference of State Trial Judges, and the National Conference of Appellate Judges shall also be on the Board. Provides that in carrying out the purpose of the Division, the Board is authorized: (1) to conduct or cause to be conducted seminars and other educational programs for judges and personnel of local and State courts; (2) to collect, evaluate, publish, and disseminate information, materials, and other data relating to studies, programs, and projects conducted or carried out under this chapter; (3) to cooperate with and render technical assistance to Federal, State, local or other public or private agencies; and (4) to accept, in its discretion, gifts and other donations to be used in carrying out the purposes of the Divisions.

Authorizes the Board to make grants to local or State courts or to public or private nonprofit organizations for the following purposes: (1) to study and evaluate local and State court systems, and to prepare recommendations for organizational, procedural, and administrative improvements of such systems; (2) to present seminars and other educational programs for judges and personnel of local and State courts; (3) to establish in accredited universities and colleges programs of instruction in court administration, management and other parajudicial duties; (4) to defray the expense necessary to implement and maintain for a period of 4 years any approved improvement (5) for such other purposes, as it shall determine necessary or desirable in carrying out the purpose of the Division: Provided, that no such grant or part thereof be used for the construction, improvement, or alteration of buildings.

Provides that the Board shall appoint and fix the duties of the Director of the Division who shall serve at the pleasure of the Board. Asserts that the Director's per annum compensation shall be $36,000 per annum. Provides that the Director shall, after consultation with the Board, issue regulations establishing general standards for obtaining grants under this Act. Provides that the regulations shall provide for regular reports to the Director by a recipient of a grant under this Act, and the Director shall from time to time, on the basis of the reports and other information available to him, review and, if necessary, revise the regulations issued pursuant to this section. Asserts that such regulations and revisions thereof shall not become effective until approved by the Board.

States that nothing in this Act shall be construed as authorizing the Division to supervise or control in any manner or to conduct or cause to be conducted any study, of any State or local court without prior approval from the highest judicial authority of the State.

Provides that on or before 1st April of each calendar year, the Board shall report in writing to the President and to the Congress on its activities pursuant to the provisions of this Act.