Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1854-10-07
For the Standard.
For the Standard
OUR JUDICIAL SYSTEM.
(No. ~
To the Members elect Of the Senate and

To the Members elect Of the Senate and
! House Of Commons:
IT is my purpose to bring to the notice of the
public certain matters connected with the past his
tory and present constitution of the judicial system
of the State; and as it may be your province to
pass upon the subject, have taken the liberty of
! sary to say, that department of the government
is directly connected with the safety and good
order of society, than that of the judiciary. And
however important it may be- to the proper admin
straton ct justice, to have enlightened Judiciary,
it is quite as important to have correct and we'll
devised system. 1t is useless to have able and ex-
perenced judges and to talk of correct and speedy
administration of Justice without proper system for
| administering the laws.
| The act of 17T7 established Superior Courts of
Law and divided the State into six judicial districts
with three judges; and this system Continued until
| the year 1906 We have a County Court sys-
tenn, which has existed, without change, since the
| foundation of the government. We have had, also,
Court of Errors, first consisting of Court of Con-
ference of all the judges, and, since 1913, of the
/ present Supreme Court of three judges, separate
and distinct.
| In the year 1906 the General Assembly declared,
that the delays and expenses inSeparable from the
present constitution of the Courts of the State do
often amount to denial of justice the ruin OF suit
ors, and render change in the same indispensably
| necessary" They then declare, THAT a Superior
| Court shall be held, in each county of the State,
circuts of ten counties to each circuit and appoint
ing six judges with salary of fifty pounds for
each court 1t assigned David Stone to the first
circuit; John Lewis Taylor to the second; John
Hall to the third; Spruce McCay to the fourth;
Samuel Lowric to the fifth and Francis Lock to
the sixth,
We have had in this State few changes in our ju-
dical system-perhaps fewer than in any of our sis
ter States. And however this may argue stability
in our courts, its wisdom a I'd policy may be matter
of doubt
This system of ten counties to each circuit con-
tinued, without change until 1918, when the county
IL IL.
circuit; and in the year 1916 the county OF Column
bus established and added to the fifth circuit.
Thus matters stood until the year 1918, when the
present Supreme Court was established, and John
I Hall, Leonard Henderson and John Louis Taylor
were elected Judges. In the year 1922, the coun-
ty of Rowan divided, and the county of David
established and added to the fourth circuit. The
county of Macon was erected in 1928, and the
ty of Yancy in the year 1892 and added to the sixth
circuit. In 1886, the county of Davie establish
ed, and formed part of the then sixth circuit.
Thus matters stood in 1886, with siXty-siX coun-
ties and six circuits The salary of the Judges, in
1906 when the circuit court system went into ope-
ration was fifty pounds court fixed by the act
of 1886 In 1903 it reduced to forty pounds
court, with hundred dollars for attending the
Court of Conference or Supreme Court called un-
der the act of 1910. This arrangement of circuits
and compensation to the Judges continued until the
session of 1918, when the Supreme Court esta-
blshed, composed of three Judges, with salary of
twenty-five hundred dollars; and the salary of each
of the Circuit Judges then fixed at ninety dol
lers the court Thus the Circuit Court system had
continued with the Court of Conference from the
year 1906 to the year 1915 with six circuits of six
ty-two counties, and salary of forty pounds the
court and fifty pounds for the Supreme Court. And
the system continued from 1918 to 1885, with
out change addition except the addition of four
counties to the circuits.
Thus closes the first of the Circuit Court sys
TAM with six circuits of ten counties each, and six
judges. How far the system had succeeded in rem
edying the delays and expenses" incident to the old
district SYSTEM and in carrying justice to every man
door, its friends promised it should do when esta
bfshed, it rs not my purpose now to inquire, but
! leave such for future consideration,
: CASTOR.