Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-03-13
THE RUTLAND HERALD
TUESDAY, MARCH II, 1873.
Municipal Court

nary questions in the State. We look to
them to vindicate the laws of the land,
TO do Justice speedily, and to settle and
close up the differences that arise among
business men, and agitate neighborhoods
and communities, and, for the next four
to six weeks, the County Court House
will be the center of interest not only to
lawyers and litigants, but to jurors, wit
nesses and people generally from all
parts of the county. The calender of
causes, show of the old cases, left over
from the last term, three hundred and
ninety-two actions at law, or civil ac-
tions; forty-four criminal prosecutions
and eighty-two suits in equity. The
new cases, to be entered upon the calen-
der, will probably reach two hundred
law cases and sixty equity suits. Of
these law cases, one-half, probably, in
volved matters of less than five hundred
dollars in amount, and in one-balf of
these one of the parties resides, or the
subject matter of the controversy arose
In this town, which is not only the
county seat but the business center of
the county and surrounding country.
Now to try and dispose of the causes
pending in the County Court, if the
court made the best of progress, would
occupy every day, Sundays excepted,
until the first day of August, leaving the
ChanCery docket then untouched. This
may be deemed a wild estimate, but if
any one will take the trouble to watch
the progress of the court for four weeks,
whileten to fifteen cases are tried by jury
and twenty to twenty-five more are tried
by the court, and then for a mo-
ment reflect that eleven-twelfths OF the
cases on the calender have not been tried
in any way, he will see that the time
set is much too short instead of being too
long. In consideration of this pressure
Of business, a necessity has arisen for
the rule that has been adhered to for
years in this county; that all causes
must be continued the first time, thereby
delaying all collection suits for full
year from the time suit is commenced,
before a collection can be made
We think the people of this county
have a right to complain of the laws de-
laws and the tardy administration of
Justice. No court in the world should
be SD burdened with business that the
vindication Of ones rights, becomes so
costly and veXatiOus that wrongs may
be committed with impunity and debt
0rs treat creditors with contempt, be-
cause the courts are so crowded that no
one can afford to appeal to them for
redress of grievances or the collection of
a debt,
Now how can remedy be applied to
this evil of an overcrowded court ? It
cannot be charged that the COURTS tardy,
or that more work can be crowded
through the terms. They are already
worked to their utmost capacity by COM
petent and active judges, and do all the
work that can be done in the time given
them to do it. 1t seems to US that the
establishment of an intermediate court
or courts, which would dispose of all
cases where the matter in demand
does not exceed five hundred dollars,
would so relieve the pressure upon the
County Court that the rule continuing
all cases the first term could be repealed,
and causes stand for trial the first term,
rendering the vindication of the rights of
the citizen, and the collection of debts,
thing not only possible, but sufficient
ly cheap and speedy, that people may
feel confidence in the tribunals Of the
law and a greaterrespect for the machiu-
cry of justice.
One county in this State has tried the
experiment of an intermediate Court.
below It's County Court, on a small scale,
and the City Court of Burlington has
worked so successfully and is so practi-
cally beneficial that not only the inhab-
i'suts Of Burlington look upon it with
favor, and praise its operations bat all
the citizens of Chittenden county with
scarcely an exception, feel lis beneficial
'laaence in the relief it gives their
County Court
At the last session Of the legislature,
an act was passed establishing the NUM-
cipal Court of the village of Rutland.
with a jurisdiction to the amount of
$500, when either of the parties reside
In the village of Rutland This Court
Is modelled after the City Court of Bur
lington in its general features, and has
the necessary power to be effective as a
tribunal of justice, and questions Of law
arising in 1t pass to the Supreme Court
in the same manner as from the County
Court. The act establishing this Court,
submits the question to a vote of the
people, legal voters in the village of
Rutland Whether the Court shall be
established or not, we believe that not
only the interests of the village but the
interest of the entire county require
that this act should be accepted and the
Municipal Court established. There are
many reasons why we should have this
Court, among which are that it renders
the collection of debts more speedy it
relieves the County Court of much of its
pressure, it brings the records of the
Court into proper form and where
suitors and persons interested know
where to look for them in such cases as
now come within the jurisdiction OF a
n Justice of the peace, and with good
Judge, could not help but become one of
the most popular tribunals Of the people.
We hope this Court will be established
and we shall hereafter between now and
the village election, call attention TO this
subject again, and give further reasons
Tor the faith that is in US
LETTER FROM GEN. GRANT. General
Grant is good natured to fault. He is
always ready and willing to perform
those little acts of kindness which go to
strew the pathway of life with flowers.