Litchfield enquirer., 1874-06-04
THE JUDICIARY.

l on the Democratic caucus of members Oi
 the legislature, held last week, to make an
 increase of the judiciary by the addition
 of two judges to the Superior court, a
 matter of party obligation. MT. Eaton
 advocated the increase strenuously, he
 held thatthe Supreme court judges should
 not be required to do circuit duty, and
 that judges salaries should be increased.
 Mir. Jones of Hartford, thought there should be five new Democratic judges ap- pointed, one each from Hartford, New Haven, Windham, Fairfield and Litch- field counties. Dr. Taylor opposed any increase on the ground of economy, and Mir. Belcher of New. London, thought that the Republicans should be given two of the judgeships. Senator Wheeler op- posed any immediate action, and thought they ought to wait for report of the ju- dietary committee to whom the bills for an increase of the judgeships had been referred, and this opinion finally prevail ed. On Tuesday afternoon of this week, the judiciary committee are to have hearing on these bills.
 MT. Robinson, of New Haven, ,introduc- ed bill, last week, making more radical change still. It provides that the supreme court shall consist of five judges; that the superior court shall consist of seven civil and two criminal judges; that the state shall be divided into two crimi- nal circuits, the one to be composed of the counties of Hartford, Litchfeld, Tol- land and Windham, and the other of the counties of New Haven, Fairfield, Middle sex and New London; that there shall be three criminal terms yearly, in each of the counties of Hartford, New Haven, Fair field, Litchfeld, New London and Wind ham, and two terms each in the counties of Middlesex and Holland, and that one of the criminal judges shall hold all terms in the northern, and the other all terms in the southern circuit.
 The division into criminal and civil terms proposed by MT. Robinson however convenient in the large cities. would be decided change for the worse in the conn try. A Litchfeld county jury can easily dispose of all the civil and criminal busi- ness brought before it in a single term and the proposed change would involve a waste of time and a needless increase of expense. The best change practically would be to give the common pleas courts jurisdiction of criminal causes as was the case under the old system abolished in 1855.
 The press throughout the State seems strongly opposed to any such heavy in- crease of judicial expenses as some of the Democratic lawyers in the legislature are urging The Bridgeport Farmer very sen- sibly remarks as follows:
 We are utterly opposed to this plan of increasing the number of Superior Court judges, beyond the six now authorized by the law. From 1855 to 1869 it was found that these five judges of the Supreme Court, and six of the Superior Court, could do all the business of the different counties except in the three large counties of Fairfield, New Haven and Hartford. In these counties the Superior Court dockets were considerably behind by rea- son of the large number of small cases which occupied much time which was needed for cases involving larger amounts.
 To remedy this a Court of Common Pleas was established in 1869 in Hartford and New Haven counties, and in the fol- 1<,xws r1-.z T field and New London counties, and in 1872 District Court was established in Litchfeld county, so that when the three vacancies now existing in the Superior Courts are filled, we shall have five more judges than we had up to 1869. The sal ary of the judges of the Common Pleas is g., 800, and that of the District Court, 3D. 900 per annum, making an increase in sal aries paid judges above what was paid by the State before 1869 of $12, 1000 per year.
 This force of extra judges is ample for the needs of the State. If more are made, 1t must be simply to make g place for some one. Business of all kinds is fall ing of; and ill the general inactivity the legal profession has not been an excep- tion.
 The Courant says that Hon. G. H. Hol- AA0pOA 10 b OuuUiAdUO AOA b oupSI1OI COuIU judgeship from Fairfield county, although it imagines that one Republican candidate will be selected and that MISE. Boards ley of Bridgeport will be the man. In this county it thinks Judge Hitchcock of Win sted will be chosen ''though the elder MT. Woodruff, and his son, George M., are understand to be not altogether unmind- full of the situation" The New Haven county candidates are Messrs. Bradley and Bronson Ghe latter partner of Speaker Doolittle); Windham presents E. B. Sumner and Earle Martin; Hartford, Elisha Johnson, Wm. Hammersley and Goodwin Collier. 80 that material is plenty. We hope abundance of material may not induce any unnecessary increase in our judicial force.