, 1870-01-12
Our Local Judiciary.

To the Editor Of The Chicago Tribune:
NO argument IL necessary az to the great i'm.
portanec, in growing commercial cisy like Chi
caEr Of an efficient judiciary, both for the protec-
ticn Of private rights aud tue punishment OF
oferceA against The State; and while all agree
that there should be the greatest economy OF the
public money, yet 1t Is also geDeIaIly conceded
that The judges Of the courta should be paid as
urch ns the average earning would be in the
exercise Of ttelr proiess1oDs Of sdco men Al
from their ability, experience and standing ought
to be selected for Judges. But there ID another
branch Of the subject which has received but
little consideration, which IL that, when Jadccs
nre selected and courts o1ganizad, their time aud
labor should be expended In the most adyau-
taseous manner for the public setTice. Several
conrtf, With several Judges each, may be lugeni-
ouHly Devised upon plan TO do the least business
In the longest time, without any bene1t 10 the
public.
What is needed, after q sufficient number Of
Judges is Eeiecied ts that all their time shall be
economically employed IL the deEpa:ch OF the
busiEess coming before them. To 10 this each
should do his own ~ork alone. For the correction
Of eHurs, the Supreme Court sta to reyiew the
Judgments rendered rs well Ia Cook County as IN
the other counties Of the State No court en- bdsse
as tie lawyers cell 1t, should be permitted In
courta Of original Jurisdiction. Recent experience
IN 1hH county has proved that Bygtem a failure.
Ncr shouId the c1iUlnal business be divided up
sEoF2 Several courre. increasing expenses, and
inter1uptirg and delayin9 the civil buaneas. Nor
yet should any Judge be con1ped to criminal bptt.
neer, thereby necessarily Leaving him idle part
Of the tine. and. what Is worse, keeping him In
contact with and surrounded by claas OF perrons
and IN The discharge OF round OF duties which
Will, Eoone1 or lister, disgust or de-
mo1Alize him. wish 10 propose q
plan which, think, neets all
The wants Of this county, and IL free from ohtec-
tion more nearly than nuy that has been Bug-
geated:
First Iransfer the Jadge OF the RECORDERS
Court to tic Circuit Court; add another Judge
also, cut Lake County OF from this circuit, and
exclude frtm its Jurisdiction all catca OF which the
Kecordett Court bas Jurisdiction.
Seco1d. Continue The Superior Court Of Chicago,
With the ssme Jurisdiction a. the CIrcuit Court.
Third. Continle the Recorder Court, but NTH
10 Jrtge assigned TO II, With exclusive JotlsdI,-
i1on OF al offences punishable BY Indictment, com.
nlited IN the County CT Cock, or transferred to
ccoE County by change OF renus from other couu-
tiee, and Of all appeals from inferior tribunals in
criminal cafes, or for ipfractons OF city orol-
rarces, hut with no other po Z els or duties,
Fourth. The Recorcer's Court to be held by
Judge Of eitner the Circuit or Superior Court, they
alternating with each other from month
to month II necessary, two Of them
TO Fit al orce, separately holding branch Of the
court, and, wheL The business Of the Recorders
Const docs Eot require their stterhance, return.
ie9 to thttr owu places In the courts 10 which
they telcEy.
Fifib. Each Jucge OF the Circuit or Superior
Court to sst separately, ard trarsacs bussEess
altre 81 CGrEt, IS The Superior Courr Ii now
held, but never together.
I think tcerc should he II uany Clerks n
Judges OF each court, Is well as separate Clerk
OF the Recotderh Court. to operate a. spur npon
each other, and prevent tendency, which always
extste, towards degenctncy, where q Eau hal only
oversight, tnd no special wo:k OF his own, as
would necessarily be the case with Etngie CLERK
II, Ia e6ecf, THREE courts.
The terUa Of once and ray OF Ill the Judges
ehou,d be the same, snd In whatever mods tne1
are selected, they should not be elected on gen.
ettlttc1es OF a. general election, and thus be
bteuGht 1llo the baTgniIlog and trading OF q
patty convention.
This p!sn vii, l think give to the judlcta! force
Of Ibis county an truease equivalent to adding two
Judges TO tie c. urts a. now organized, by reason
Of cuttirg Oh Lake County from the cIcut, aud
The better economy Of the time AMI Labor OF the
judges. But NJ q constitution II, In theory, for
the lA1 future IS well Is the present, there should
be POWER given TO the Legislature to add, u need
msy a1ise, nole Judgcs to the Circuis and su-
lc,lor Courts, and with each Judge Clerk.
have 10 Doubt that sx Judges, exclusively eu-
gsged m the coDr:s Of ttis co7Hfy, are enough for
the p1esc1r, ous II tie convention think oshcIw!se
as eas5 10 provide for grratef number Is for
Elk, only the e1pepte is thereby Increased.
by this plan there Is 10 break In the recurdg OF
the county, and no Few machinery 10 ges Into
CBe.