Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1850-06-04
ruE COUNTY COURT SYSTEM
20, ~ sr1Rrr OF JEFFERSON.

~LH - 9OA
Mr.. Ep1roR IL propose TO answer, IN as oriet
a space as possible, the question SO ne9uenI.y
asked, what could we substitute lot Tue SouhCy
Court in Virgins, so cheap and eIncleht' u we
were to abolishi its present organization heIG
are MANY substitutes, in my opinion, that would
h. iSfniieIv better Among them is the follow
ing Let the Constitution provide mat each
county in the State should bediyided into districts,
not less than four nor more than eight, by the hrst
Circuit Court that may sit after the aUoption Vi
the new constitution. Each OF such districts 10
elect five officers to be denominated justices, or
Supervisors. or commissioners, as fancy may de-
termine. Such officers to be elected Ir hEe
years, except those first elected, one OF "hom
shall 90 out at the end of the first year, another
at the end Of the second year, ard so on SO thIt
there shall be election of one every year. S"ch
officers TO be eligible for re election Tor any num-
her or terms. The officers to constitute a Court
for the police of the county, and to6e vested with
the appointment of the minor officers OF the
county. such as surveyors of roads, constables,
commissioners of the poor, &c. &c, to have the
power of laying the county and parish levies )
and in their individual capacity, within their re.
spectiye districts. to have Jurisdiction in civil
cases where the amount should not exceeds say,
one hundred dollars, with appeal to an otlceE
whom we will now mention.
Let il. be provided. also, that in every county
there shall be one officer elected, TO be called
surrogate. or commissioner, whose term shall be
OuT NGdISs ~ olAuA AOAA9t tS -
hearing of appeals. from single justices, for pro-
bate Of wills, granting administrations for parti-
ton OF estates, (when there is no dispute as TO
titled &c. and hold sessions every three months,
hut his court to be considered as always open for
the probate of wills, &c.,with an appeal from his
decisions in such cases to the Circuit Court
During the session of his Courts such officer
to receive a compensation of four dollars per day.
In addition to these dnties, let him be also the
regular commissioner in Chancery for the Cir
cult Court, and receive for his services as such
the usual fees in the usual way. 1t will be seen
that such an officer would have to be learned in
the law, and the compensation that would accrue
from both branches. of this Office would be ample
10 secure the services of such. have thus given
you the outlines of a plan which, it is true. might
be varied in detail according TO taste, or as cir
cumstances might suggest, but which, in my
judgment, would be greatly better than the pre-
sent County Court system, and if adopted would
supersede The necessity of our present system,
and do away with every plausible excuse for its
continuance. This, however, is only one-there
are others that might be still better than this
but this has struck my fancy az being free from
many objections which seem to attend others
which have been suggested TO my mind. II is
taken from the constitutions of several Of the DIFF
ferent Statestofthe Union. with a little Of my own
views added. ] have not written this with any
expectation that it will be adopted by others, and
brought forward as something that should be in
corp0rated in our fundamental laws, but with a
view of drawing public attention to the subject,
and cliciting the views Of others upon it.
CHESTER.