Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1848-02-16
VIRGINIA LEGISLATURES.
AN EXTRACT

From tho Report of the special committee To
whom was recommitted the bill to create the Odd
judicial circuit, with instructions ..,o enquire into
the expediency of equalizing the labours of the
judges Of the general court and TO consider the pro-
prcty of the creation of new circuits":
The greatest amount Ct judicial labour in IN.
east seems TO be cen,ered in the 9Th, 10Th and 9Th
circuits, presided over respectively by Wilson.
Ialiaferro and Thompson.
VI the entire number of suits pending in the
State on the Both of August of the last wear tho
average to each circuit is, lac 500 ctonceru SD
Of the number commenced in the three circuits re
ferred to, the average TO each of them IS la,p S25
| chdnccry Sol the law exceeding the ave
rage of all the circuits in the State by SIG. and
the chancery causes exceeding it by PIT.
Judge Thompson's circuit is composed of the
hve counties OF Albemarle, Nelson, Amherst, Rock
bridge and Augusta, embracing population of
more ina" oo,ooo souls engaged in every branch
| OF business which can create litigation; and con-
timing within their borders five large public nst-
tutions to which peculiar laws are applicable, and
which require the constant supervision OF the
courts.
From the official returns made to the Legisla-
ture for several years past, it appears tas~1he u
mount of business originating in the circuit exceeds
by one Hundred per cent. the average amount of
the business of the other circuits of the State and
the number of cases decided both at law and i'm
chancery bears about the same proportion to the
average number decided in the other circuits
Thus in 1913, the average number of cases COM
menced In all the circuits was, at law ll6l, in
chancery l35: commenced in Judge Thomson 5
circuit, at law 23l0, in chancery 23l
The average number decided in all the circuits
was, at law llI2, and in chancery 226: whilst
Judge Thompson decided 1T law 2OiO, and in
chancery 465 The average number of prosecu-
tlons pending in all the circuits was 95, and in
IpIro Sc *.
sion SO: Judge Thompson no. In lS45, the
average number of law causes commenced in all
the circuits was 476, in Judge Thompson's 1854 :
average number decided in all the circuits sec
!. and by Judge Thompson 1890. In chancery, the
average number commenced in all the circuits was
= l43, in Judge Thompson's lS7 average of de-
crees In all the circuits 20, and by Judge Thomp-
son 1853. Average of prosecutions rs, in Judge
Ihompson's circuit | {: average number OF days
in session IS, Judge Thompson ITO. During the
last year (see Doc. No SO of the present session
the average number of law cases commenced i'm al
the circuits was 479, in Judge Thompson's circui,
9O4 average number decided in all the circuits
$50, and by Judge Thompson 1862. The average
OF chancery cases commenced 10Y, in Judge
s Ihompson's circuit 2O5: average decided 267
and by Judge Thompson 81 average of DAVIS in
session %, Judge Thompson l63.
The documents from which these statement.
(, have been derived, shew that Judge Thompson &C
chancery, than the three judges of the 7th 2ls
and I'D circuits, the aggregate of whose salaries i:
5000; increased as the compensation of all or Of
: some OF them has been, very justly no doubt on
account OF the large amount of business i'm their Sc
veral circuits. But although Judge Thompson
has thus for years past despatched SO large an a
mount OF business, there were pending in his cir
= cult, by the last report, loss law and l34S chan
Gerry causes. And with all his acknowledged abil-
lty and fidelity, there is but little prospect that foI
years to come the number will be diminished
Indeed the probability is that it Meier ca,. be d
minlshed without the interposition of the Legsla
ture for many of the pending causes are exceed
u ingly voluminous, and the accruing business equa
c To the amount annually despatched. The peopI,
, of the circuit therefore subjected to all abs pac
>, teal evils Of a denial Of justice for, in the Ian
guage of one of the memorials the subject, sal
though the doors Of the courts are nominally open
:, ed, they are so completely blocked up by sutors
that 1t Is hardly possible TO obtain admittance an,
still more difficult after you have entered to ge
out again."