The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1838-08-22
GBYAUTHORITY.l
LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES,
PASSED AT THE SECOND SESSION OF THE
fwENTY-FIFTH CONGRESS.
[PUBLIc.-No. 76.1

[PUBLIc.-No. 76.l
AN ACT to establish criminal court in the Dis
trict of Columbia.
Be IL enacted 5y the Senate and House ofRepresea
fsfres of the United States Of america ia Congress
assembled That from aud after the passage of this
law, court shall be established in the District OF
Columbia for the trial of all crimes and offences a.
ganst the laws now in force in the said District,
and such as may be hereafter enacted, 10 be com.
posed Of one Judge, TO be appointed by ths Presi-
dent of the United States. by and with the consent
of the Senate. and TO receive, as compensation for
his services, an annual salary Of $4,000, which
court shall be styled the criminal court OF the dis
trict of Columbia.
Sec. q And be IL further enacted, That the said
court shall hold four terms in each year. on the first
Mondays of December, March, June, and Soptem-
ber, in the city Of Washington, for the comfy Of
Washington, and two terms in each year on the
first Mondays of April and November, in the town
OF Alexandria, for Alexandria county and that the
Judge of said court shall have power TO hold special
terms OF said court IN each county whenever Il shall
seem to him necessary to order the same, OF which
order ten days previous public notice shall be gwen
Sec. 3. And be IL further enacted, That the dis
irict attorney and marshal of The said District, and
the clerks OF the crcnt court the said District for
the counties of Washington and Alexandra, re-
spectively, shall attend the said criminal court in
said counties. and perform all the duties now by
law Yeqnired of them, respectively in relation to the
criminal business of the circuit court in the said
counties, and shall, respectively, receive the same
fees and compensation therefor And the jurors and
witnesses attending said court in the said counties
ihall be entitled TO the same compensation they now
receivs for their attendance in the said circuit court
IN the said counties, respectively.
Sec. 4. Andbe f,rther enacted That all recog
nizances presenmeuts, indictments, pleas, and Grim
lDa prosecutions and proceedings whatsoever and
all suits and proceedings for fines and fnrleures
and on, forfeited cognlzances, now pending in the
Al
ton and Alexandra, respectively, shall be transfer
red to the said criminal court in the said counties,
respectively, and be there proceeded on as they
would have been in the said circuit court for said
cQunes respectively if,his net had not been passed
oad all process hereafter issued now issued from
the said circuit for the countless respectively shall
be returnabe and returned to the said criminal court
at the next succeeding term aud terms thereof in
the said counties, respectively, and the said criminal
court shall have all the jurisdiction in the sad
ties. respectively now held by the said circuit court
IN the said counties, respectively, for the trial and
punishment of all crimes and offences, and the re-
coyery OF all fines, iorltitures and recognzances.
Sec. 5. hnd be IL further enacted, That the clr.
cut court of the District Of Columbia, or any Judge
thereof during the vacation of The court, shall have
power to award writ Of error, auy criminal case
Whatever, wherein final judgment shall have been
pronounced by the criminal court for either county
IN the said District, returnabo TO the circuit court
OF that county in which said judgment may be rem
dered convictng any person of any crime misde-
mcanor, and TO reverse said Judgment, or remand
the case, and order new trial, or such other pro-
ceedIng therein, as the nature OF the may re-
quire.
SIC. G. Andbe It further enacted, That TO enable
the person SO convicted by the judgmcn, of,he said
criminal court, to apply for writ of error, in all
cases when the judgment shall be death OF con6ne-
ment in the penitentiary, the said criminal court
shall on application Of the party accused, postpone
the final execution thereof, to a reasonable time
beyond the next term of said circuit court not eX
ceeding in any case thirty days after the end Of
such term of the circuit court.
Sec. !. 1nd be further enacted, That The said
criminal court, in any case, may. with the consent
of the person accused, adjourn any question of Law
iothe circuit court of that county, in the District
aforesaid, in which the ease is depending, which
may be there argued and decided, though such
accused person be not present.
See. s. Ind be 1t further enacted, That there
shall be hereafter paid to the coroners ofthe coun-
lies OF Washington and Alexandria IN the said
District, and to the Jurors and witnesses, who may
be lawfully summoned by them in any inquest. the !
same HeS and compensation are now paid to the !
marshal of the said District and the Jurors attsnd-
ing the circnit court in the said county, for similar |
services.
APPROVED, June 9TH, 1888.