Some people think that magistrates or hearings officers should hear traffic infractions, uncontested dissolutions of marriage, uncontested adoptions, and certain other matters. Other people think that only judges should hear cases, as presently occurs in the Hawai'i court system. In most states, certain trial courts are built around the county unit for the sake of convenient public service. The county serves as a venue district, and the county seat is the principal courthouse site. Decentralization is said to offer sensitivity to local conditions, but can bring fragmentation, disparity, and lack of consistency.
Centralization encourages uniformity and efficiency, but can stifle innovation and initiative.
Other people say that these and other services currently provided by court employees are appropriately placed in the Judiciary and should remain so.