With the constitution adopted in 1974, self-managing courts were introduced to the judicial system as community bodies. They were to act mainly as courts of associated labour, courts of arbitration, arbitral tribunals or conciliation councils. The functions of the courts of associated labour were regulated by the federal and state act, both adopted in 1974. The state act provided for two types of courts in Slovenia: general and specific. General courts of associated labour were established with the act itself. As regards specific courts of associated labour, the act created a possibility for them to be formed by the self-managing communities of interests within the field of social activities. Thus the General Assembly of the Pension and Disability Insurance Institute of the Socialist Republic of Slovenia and the General Assembly of the Old-Age Insurance Institute for Farmers of SR Slovenia adopted an Act on establishment, organisation andfield of work of the court of associated labourfor the pension and disability insurances and the old-age insurance for farmers in SR Slovenia. The court, whose task was to ensure judicial protection in conflicts about the self-managing rights and obligations, came into being on 1st January 1978 and ceased to exist on 13th May 1994. Its heritage has to be preserved.