Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-03-31
CoURTs-DIsTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

House of Representatives, March "a, 1880.
Mr.. Powers, from the Committee for the District
of Columbia, reported the following bill:
A BILL for recognizing the Courts OF Justice
in the District Of Columbia.
BE Il enacted 6y the Senate and House Of Re-
preseetat;ves of the United States of America, IN
Congress assembled, That the Circuit Court for
the District of Columbia shall hold, annually, IN
the county of Washington, two terms, which shall
commence on the first Monday OF May, and the
second Monday of November; and two terms In
the county Of Alexandria, which shall commence
ON the second Monday of April, and the first Mon
day of October. That for all purposes excepting
those of hearing and deciding causes, the SAID
Court shall and may be held by the Chief Judge,
or any one of the Judges thereof; and that every
day Of each Of the said terms, Sundays excepted,
shall be a return day.
SEC. 9. find be further enacted, That every
issue of fact which has been, or shall be, joined
in the said Circuit Court, and which is or may be
triable BY the country, shall be tried in the
" in which the suit shall have been instituted,
unless the said Circuit Court shall, upon motion
of either party, and sufficient cause shown, direct
the trial of the same in the other county of the
District; and the said issues shall and may he
tried before the Chief Judge, or either of the
other Judges. in the manner hereinafter prescribed.
Sec. S. .9ad be it further enacted, That the
Chief Judge, or one of the other Judges of said
Court, shall hold, annually, in the county of
Washington, two terms, which shall commence
on the first Monday of June, and the first Mon
day Of December; and two terms In the county
of Alexandria, which shall commence on the FIRST
Monday Of and the
OF for the trial Of all issues
Il L., IL H. ~
Circuit Court, in civil causes, and which are or
may be triable in said counties, respectively.
SEC. 4. find be Il further enacted, That the
said Chief Judge, or either of the other Judges of
said Court, shall and may hold four terms in each
of said counties, annually, for the purpose of ex-
ercisins jurisdiction over criminal matters, to wit:
in the county of Washington, on the first Monday
of January, the third Monday of April, the first
Monday Of July, and the third Monday Of Octo-
Der; aud in the county of Alexandria, on the
Monday Of /,
the Monday of &,
the Monday of >, and
the Monday of
Sec. S. find be it further enacted, That the
said Courts, 50 to be held under, and by virtue
Of, the last preceding section, shall have and ex
ercse all the powers and authority in relation to
all offences of which the punishment prescribed
tiary, or any higher punishment; and also, in re-
lation to every case where the punishment is, or
may be, inferior, in which the District Attorney,
or other officer prosecuting on behalf of the Unit
ed States, shall certify that in his opnion it is
one of sufficient importance to be tried before
said Circuit Court; and any inferior Court, to
which such certificate shall be presented in refer
ence to any case pending before it, shall forth
with cause the presentment, indictment, and other
proceedings in the same, to be RENTED to the
Clerk of the Circuit Court of the county in
which the same were found and pending; and
the said Clerk is authorized, empowered, and re-
quired, to file the same among the records Of the
said Circuit Court; aud the said Circuit Court
Is hereby authorized, empowered, and required,
to proceed to the trial and determination Of said
case, in the same manner as if the same had been
originally instituted in said Circuit Court.
SEC. 6. find be ii further enacted, That all
original writs and process issued from said Cir
cult Court be, and the same are made, returnable
to the said Circuit Court, at the said terms pre-
scribed to be holden in and by the first section of
this act: that the plaintiff shall file his decara-
ton within thirty days after the said writ, or pro-
cess, shall have been returned executed, or on
failure thereof, shall become non-prossed; unless
the said Court, under special circumstances, shall
grant the plaintiff further times and, in each case,
he shall declare within the time SO granted, or
become non-prossed.
SEC. find be 1t farther enacted, That the
said defendant shall file his plea or demurrer
within sixty days after the expiration of the time
limited, granted, for filing the declaration or,
on failure thereof, judgment shall be rendered
against him, unless the Court, under special cir
cumstances, shall grant the defendant further
time; and in such case, the said defendant shall
plead or demur within the time so granted, or
judgment shall be entered against him; and if
further pleadings shall be necessary, they shall
be filed within sixty days each after the time IL
mited for filing the preceding pleading, or, on
failure thereof, judgment, as aforesaid, shall be
entered against the party so in default Prorided,
That, if any party would take advantage of the
adverse party. in not filing his declaration, plea,
or otherpleadng within the time herein before pre-
scribed, he shall take such advantage on or be-
fore the end of the next term after such failure,
by moving the Court for the judgment to which
he is thereupOn entitled; and if he fail to do so,