The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-01-25
Circuit Court Of Richmond.

Circuit Court Of Richmond.
There is a bin now before the Committee
Courts of Justice of the House Of Delegates
the importance of which to the commerciai
prosperity of The city can hardly oe over
mated. This bill provides for such chans.s
the Code of Virginia as 10 require the oi'c"''
Conrt If Richmond TO hold ten monthly 'eiihs
IN each wear. instead of two terms. as no"
reouired-it requires the rules 10 W "sa :"
the office of said court every week lhs"''a U
every month-and provides Tor once JUG
ments on open accounts.
The object and effect of this bill Will be to
secure the speedy decision OF civil causes, by
having them matured and heard every month
instead of once in every six mon,hs-thus
occurring TO our business men the ready
command of their capital q matter o.
grave importance to them ut this time
BY the speedy enforcement of right, ano
the speedy redress Of wrong, it will tenc
greatly TO diminish the causes Of litigation b!
depriying parties of the benefits OF theii
wrong doings. Men are not apt TO refuse I"
compIy with their contracts if they can gain
nothing by such refusal. And they can gain
little il the contract can be enforced within
month BY such q system, fewer contracts
would be violated, and there would be amuch
stricter compliance with business engage
ments-the advantages of this to n commercial
community are too obvious to require elucida-
ton. 1t would prevent those delays in the
trial of civil causes which, under our preseE
system bear so GENEROUSLY upon the peo-
pie by keeping creditors out OF thei
money from term to term, and by keeping
large numbers of our business men, who's
time is as precious TO them as money, dancine
attendance upon the courts from day 10 day
oftentimes for months, as suitors, witnesses.
or Jurors For defendants will not incur the
expense of defence when the delay obtained
is only for month, while, under the present
system a large number Of cases are defended
solely because by every continuance OF cas-
the defendant gains six months time. Such
bill would be of incalculable advantage 10 oul
city by giving credit to our business mel.
abroad for the credit of no people, whatever
may be their character, can be high with com.
mercial men if their laws do not promptly
enforce the payment Of debts. While such II
bill as this would insure the more prompt
and strict compliance with business engage
ments, give an impetus to business, secure u
our city higher credit abroad, and save meal
culable expense and loss OF time now growing
out of delays in the trial of cases, it would a.
the Judge of the court because no cases would
be defended where there was not some JUS
ground for defence, and the judge woulc
therefore be troubled with but very few
cases, as experience demonstrates that there
are very few cases indeed compared witt
the number of suits brought in which there is
any ground for defence. We venture tn
assertion that one 1.-THE of the tim
now consumed in having cases continued
would be amply sufficient to try al
the contested suits which would be brought
under the system proposed. Under the pre-
sent system, the Judge of the Circuit Court sits
some eight or nine months in the year, and il
is we'll known fact that most of the time O.
the Court is occupied in efforts to delay the
trial of causes.
Such are some of the advantages chastity
alluded toy to be derived from the proposed
bill before the Committee of Courts of Justice.
We are informed that the committee are pre-
pared to report favorably upon the bill
but they entertain some doubt whether,
under existing circumstances, the people
of Richmond desire the more speedy deci-
sion of civil causes. 1t is so obviously
to the interest of the whole community thar
civil causes should be speedily decided, that
we cannot for moment suppose there can bc
any hesitation on the part of any of our citi
zens in desiring such bill. To test this mat
ter, we are informed that papers will be left
at the offices of GoDDIS & APPERsoS, Lam
CASTER & Co., and GRUBBs WILLIAMS, and
the Sheriff of Richmond, for the signatures of
such of our citizens as approve the bill ; and
we earnestly hope that all will at once come
forward and sign their names. While impor
tant measures are now being canvassed
for the purpose of attracting capital to
our city, we feel none would be
more efficacious in producing that result
than bill which would enable the capitalist
speedily to recover his money when it became
due. 1t is one of the soundest and best.settled
maxims of political economy, that the speedy
and rigid enforcement Of the payment of debts
conduces to the prosperity of people, and is
alike beneficial TO the creditor and the debtor.