The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1872-10-26
JUDGE JOHN e. KING.

1861, our docket was a large one; during
the war, whilst new suits were being
continuously fled, but one OF two terms
were holden for the trial of cases, and
accordingly when the war closed in May
1866, it had grown to a size previously
unknown. The period Immediately fol-
lowing the war, was more fruitful OF
litigation than any other known in our
history. Everythinghad been deranged
by the war. The whole property Of the
country became more OF less involved III
litigation. In consequence, civil suits
accumulated with such rapidity, that to
clear our District Court docket within
any reasonable length Of time, seemed
a superhuman task, as, oWingtO the fire.
Quent failures of our terms of court, and
the frightful increase of crime, caused
by the decentralization of the war, nearly
all the time of the Court wastaken upi
the trial of criminal cases. When Judge
King reeeivedhis appointment, owing to
these causes, he found on the st. Landry
docket, not only a very large number OF
criminal cases, but about one thousand
civil suits to be disposed of. TODD this
within his term of Office, seemed utterly
impossible yet no sooner had he quail
fed, than he announced his intention OF
disposing of every case. The task was
truly a gigantic one, but his ability as a
lawyer, his system, his method, his order
in the transaction of business, united to
his industry has accomplished the work
proposed, and to-day u docket en-
braces but a few dozen civil suits, all OF
which have been called, times and again,
for trial, and which are pending through
no fault of his. Nor has the civil docket
alene been cleared. Every criminal case
in a condition for trial was finally dis
posed of at the October term, 1871; and,
henceforth, instead of one term Of Court
lasting for months, as heretofore, a few
weeks, at most, will suffice, to the great
relief OF the tax payers of this parish.
In Calcasieu we understand also, that
the docket, both civil and criminal, has
been disposed of in a manner equally
summary. Inaccomplishsng this, Judge
King has been uniformly kind, polite
and courteous to the bar, to witnesses
and ~litigants. We have observed his
course on. the bench closely, and can
safely assert that, during his whole Ju-
dicial career, he has 10 cause to look
back upon any act of his with regret.
In digpatehing business he has observed
no other rules than those laid down in
the Code of Practice. The pernicious
practice of fixing cases for trial, so long
followed in our Court, was abrogated
by him the very frstday he occupiedthe
bench. Every case ON the docket was
fixed for trial in its order after the sec
ond day of the term, and when reached
must be tried, continued, dismissed, or
placed on the dead docket. This made
some of our lawyers a little FESTIVE, and
they objected that it would neeessitate
the attendance of witnesses from day to
day, to their great Inconvenience bat
the Judge obyiated this by announcing
from the bench, that whenever witnesses
reached the Court House, from a dis
lance, if they would report to him, that
he would, if necessary, suspend all other
business and taketheir testimonyso that
they might leave for home at once Il
they desired. This rule worked like a
charm, witnesses were delighted with it,
! and we are informed that on one ocea,
I sion, when an old gentleman from Bayou
, Beuf who, at o previous term, had been
detained as d witness in a case for two
weeks, and came again in fear ant
trembling, was called In and had his
testimony taken in a few minutes, after
he reached the Court House, by The
Judge, lie could ~notrefrain from return.
| ing his thanks, in open Court, when in.
| fornaed he was discharged, in the mos
| emphatic terms.
Since Judge King has been on TIN
: bench, during Court, no time has beer
losti in dispatching business. His inEa
Q riafle rule has been to open Court at Il
! o'clock, mdwifha an exception of recess
Q of an hour and 4 half fordinner, to keel
a it open, and keep at work during tln
Q entire day. These afternoon session
|, were not relished much, at first, by til,
lawyers. They were unused to them
but they soon became accustomed +
E them and found b great deal Of bushes
i could be transacted III these eyenin,
sessions. The clearing of our Dfstric
: Court dOekets alone should suffice to re
commend Judge King to people
L But we 80 further than this, We say hi
eloquent charges to Grand Juries hay
It taken deep root Id the public mind, an
q are producing effects pe~reepiB1eo on ey
cry hard 10 the most casual observer.
is Under his eloquentaenunciations, til
harharots practice of wearing conceale
d weapons, so prevalent when he fiji
I. came On the bench, has almost falle
ii into 1isuae. He has forced the sui
IL ject of the public rOads 10 often upo
ia the attention of orr paroclial law-ms
u Kers, fhatorainanee have been adoptet
the good effect De which may be seen .
i. every hand by the traveller along oil
public fhorOughfales. During his ter.
peace, and law, and order have beenre
tered in 81 Landry, by his firm, b
mereifOl administration Of the Grimm
. law and our pariall, from being tie mo
y laWess has become One0 the mostla1
nagi1inn IN the State