Reduction in force (RIF), or the termination of staff for reasons other than the inadequacy or failing of the individual staff member, may be required for several reasons, including declining enrollment, reduced staff turnover, budget cutbacks, and changes in instructional programs. Whatever the cause, terminations must be handled carefully because of the tangle of legal implications. Answers to the legal issues are primarily found in state statutes, board policies, and collective bargaining agreements, but these are not always clear and do not always answer questions about due process requirements. The courts in several states have been called on to answer questions regarding the school board's authority to dismiss teachers, the degree of evidence necessary to prove that RIF is needed, the board's right to select the position to be eliminated, the use of RIF policies to terminate teachers for illegitimate reasons, the relationship between RIF and racial discrimination, termination of teachers qualified for other available positions, transfers to lower paying positions, unlawful delegation of authority, procedural issues relating to due process, and teachers' rights after termination. Implications of several of these court decisions are discussed in this article. (Author/PGD)