Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-02-11
Inn Fees in civil Cases.

sion Mr. Vincent, OF Loraln, mad introduced
bill in the House to provide for the payment of
jury fees in civil cases by the parties litigant.~
The bill passed the House on Thursday by
vote of So to 26. It amends section II of the
act regulating fees of officers in civil and Grim
inal cases, passed March 5, 1881, so that it will
read as follows:
Sec. H. That in all civil cases where trial
by iury shall be had in any of the courts of
record of this State, the party against whom the
verdict may be rendered. shall pay for the time
said Jury is detained in the trial ofsaid cause the
amount so to be paid shall be- determined by the
court on the rendition Of said verdict, and shall
be taxed and collected as other costs are taxed
and collected, and when SO collected, shall be
paid by the officer collecting the same, into the
treasury of the county in which such trial was
had; provided, that this act shall not apply to
suits pending in any of said courts at the time
Of its passage.
Section II of the act to which the above is
amendatory is repealed, and the act is to take
effect from its passage. We clip the final action
of the House on the bill from the official report:
Nh Blakeslee moved an amendment requiring
the parties in civil suits to pay the expenses OF
the Court during the time of the trial.
Mr.. VorIs opposed the amendment as well as
the bill itself, which be thought would be an
impediment to the free administration of justice.
Mr.. Hill opposed the amendment as factious-
" introduced to impede the progress of the bill.
Mr. Blakeslee opposed the bill as calculated
to drive from our courts the time-honored in
stitutiOn ofjury trial.
Mr. Ceilings opposed the amendment, as in
imical to the bill, which he thought would work
a reform. The bill expected to reduce litIga-
ton. If it did 30, that was a merij in the bill.
Mr. Stedman said the amendment was evir
IDENTIFY intended to cast ridicule upon the bill,
and he hoped that it would not pass.
Mr. Fiagg defended the bill, because it lDOuld
| discourage litigatiOn-a much needed reform.
Mr.. Plants thought the bill might be well
enough in itself, but it did not meet the whole
case, nor did it appear to him as a valuable
retrenchment measure. To make it SO, it would
be necessary to find some profitable employ
ment for the jury when waiting for cases during
the session Of court, and the payment of their
wages into the treasury.
Mr.. Vincent supported the bill because it
would discourage litigation, which he looked
upon a most important end. He deprecated
lawsuits above all things. If those whom he
would protect must be exposed to evils, he
would make a lawsuit the last thing they must
suffer.
he contended that this measure was emf
nentlY Just. Pratles engaged in litigation had
no claims upon the tax payers to pay jury fees
for them.
We furnish tribunal to decide what the lalO
is on given state of facts. The jury only
determine facts No great principles Of right
are decided by the jury.
Jury trials are also uncertain tests of facts.
It was like the boys calculating the distance to
the Sun-"he guessed at one fourth the distance
and then multiplied that by four"
If it was Just to fuTnish free jury for liti-
giants, why not pay witnesses, clerks, sheriffs
and attorney fees!
Cheap justice is a humbug If you give a
man anything, don't give him litigation. Give
drunkards rum. Give incendiaries the torch.
Give insane men weapons of death Give
children carving knives, loaded pistols and
bombshells, but don't give your neighbOr LAW
SUIT.
It is said that parties will resort to violence
unless we furnish tribunal.
He was satisfied the worst blood was pener
ated in the court house. Parties became public
gladators, and life long feuds were got up in
the court house Parties did not know how
much they were injured until their wrongs
were magnifed by their attornies.
He appealed to Attornies to support the bill
and rise above selfish considerations.
Hamilton county had acted under a similal
law for seventeen years.
1t would save $1,000 on an average to eacl
county in this State-SsOO0O WAS burden
l some load for tax payers to help on law suits.
7 He wanted every vote recorded in favor Of {
measure so just and equitable.
Mr.. McOlung said this discussion had al
been had when the bill was up before. Mem
, bers bad spoken upon the merits of the bill in
stead of the amendment, and there had beer
time enough consumed already, and he woulC
therefors move tho previous question, which
was sustained.
The question being on Mr.. Blakeslee'
amendment, the yeas and nays were demanded
and resulted-yeas 65, nays l2
The question then TUNED on the passag
: ~. the bin fhe s5eSs. and nays were calle,
snE Resulted Lyeas 53 nays 20. So the bil
= passed