The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-01-30
The County Courts.

These courts are likely to become very
r,,nnl.r IN a few wears. They are nWustiy
n,,a-rca with expcnscs which the State will
no. get rid of by transferring their business
~ tho circuit courts. We do not say that
COME Improvement cannot DO made in the
nrcsent judicial system, but we do say that
the present county courts can fairly DC
charged only with the expense of the judges
salaries, In comparing them with any o'he1
system OF courts. Juries will cost as much
and clerks and lawyers fees will be as high
IN the circuit as in the county court. Man!
Of the counties would, we doubt not, ratncr
nav their Judges salarie. than to lose 'heh
services. If the objection is that the l@opie
lose too much time in performing their ou-
ties ia grand and petit Jurors, the re'iieu!
is easy. Reduce the number OF Jn!
courts. and change the jury law so Us 10 ~
o,,;re fewer persons to DC summoned 70 court.
.Iudye Gr1qox, Of this city, has been COM
ncl,ed 10 summon venircs from great dis-
lance at n heavy cost in money to the State,
and in time to himself, because the law al
lowed every intelligent man residing here 10
be excluded from juries upon Which nc couio
have served with a clear conscience and with
out damage to the defendants cases. Ihere
are many ways in which the expenses OF the
judiciary system can be reduced without de-
stroying the county courts. The Cohstltu-
tinu requires that these courts shall Dc MANI
taincd. and that they shall be held by men
l.. 1affn
ncut cannot he met if the jurisdiction of the
courts and the pay of the judges are to Dc
such rs to bring the system into contempt.
II il said that the circuit courts arc mere
courts of appcal for suitors in the county
courts. Then, do not allow appeals III SO
many eases. Amend the act of May 80, 1917,
8, rs to limit the number of them. The
COUNTY court should be the court OF the pco-
rc. And at time when special court OF
;,npeals is about to be organized and paid for
lv the State solely to acccmmodatcmen VINO
have large sums involved in suits nc law, II
would not look well to abolish court which,
If properly managed, can do all the business
of the smaller suitors at light cost TO them
selves. We would that the Legislature, be-
rcrc it determines to destroy these courts,
should try to remedy their defects and make
them better than they are.
=. S.-After writing the above yesterday,
We came upon the following article IN the
Petersburg Progress:
g., bill is before the General Assembly to
alter the jurisdiction of the county courts, 10
transfer most Of the business now lrlilSacteu
therein to the circuit courts, TO reduce Inc
uav of the county Judges to four dollars per
item when OH duty, to divide the Statc INTO
twcnty-one circuits there arc now slNttch),
and to require each judge to hold four courts
Il wear in each of the counties or towns III MS
circuit. 1t is claimed that the county courts
are now overloaded with business, and IN q
majority of instances the circuit court IS
mere tribunal of appeal also that the state
will save much money by making the change. |
while the public business will not he re-
t,rdad. We have not had time yet to exam |
inc the proposition thoroughly, but III the
outset it seems incredible that the public in
tcrcsts can lie advanced by taking from the
nronlc the local tribunals which now afford |
them speedy hearing of all causes. The
county courts are Il great convenience, |
if our observation has been correct, and 1t
NAV turn out false economy to reduce their
bowers simply to save some thousands i'll the
way of salaries. The delay in the trial of
criminal cases that would be III inevitable
result would annually cost the State far more
t!.au the difference. Again, we hold that II
i. not good policy to count Judicial inteSrlty
and competency against paltry sum in dol
lars and cents. The circuit Judges receive
now Il bare support, and yet to increase their
H., ,lt n q
feature in this bill. Each judge would be
compelled to hold twenty courts year, and
Tor this amount Of labor two thousand dol
lll,s is an inadequate return. One hundred
dollars for Il session lasting q week or fort
night is not as much as all upright ana learn
ed Judge is worth to the people. The aver
aur LAWYER would make more each day OF
the term. and it cannot be good policy 10
place the bench below the ambition OF the
lar."
And the following from the Leesburs
Westinghouse:
"The change contemplated by an act before
the Legislature, in the system of our courts,
is not favorably received by those who have
examined the bill proposed. The county
Judges, under the new system, would he en-
titled to but 81 per day when on the bench,
WHICH would give MIN apout Slou VI Sl ~ ~
year. No one competent for the position
could be had for that consideration. The cost
ofiuries would be about the same rs the pre-
sent systenl-as that which would be saved
under the new system in the county courts
would be increased by the frequent sessions
of the circuit courts.
"Under this new system prisoners will
have to lay in Jail several months, Mt heavy
expense; while under the present system
they have a speedy trial, and are put upon
their punishment or released. We suspect
the movers in this proposed change are Work
ing more for little notoriety than tt. eeono-
mize the judicial system of the State.
"Let the present system alone until it has
proved to be burthensome. The people are
becoming used to it, and are well pleased, as
far as we can learn. What we want is rs
little legislation as possible. We have too
much now"