New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-02-05
APRoPosED SUPERIOR CRIMINAL COURT.

APRGPOSED SUPERIOR CRIMINAL C0UKI
The House Committee on Judiciar,
las reported substitute for a bill author
izing the creation of a new criminal court
We have not the original before US, ant
can not, therefore, point out the proposed
changes. But that is uHimportant. as tn
substitute stands the bette. chance o
adoption.
1t provides for the creation Of an add
tional district court for the parish of Or
leans. to be denominated the Superior
Distric: Court. It is to be given jurisdic'
ton in al crimina! cases where the pun
ishment Of the otfense charged is death
or imprisonment: a: hard labor for ten o,
more years is imposed or within the dis
cretion of the court.
| It is made the duty o: the Governo. 70
appoint Judge of said court. as in case
Of original vacancy. who shall hold his
Office until Judge shall have been elected
and duly qualified according to law. His
salary is fixed a: $1,000. payable out OF the
State treasury. : clerk is provided for
with the same amount O: salary. 70 be APP
pointed and superseded in like manner as
the judge. Also z: deputy clerk at $500
per annum. The sheriff Of the Criminal
Court for the parish OF Orleans is made the
sherii! of the new court. when created.
| The powers conferred upon the Superior
! Criminal Court are declared to be exclu.
sive, and the presen. First District Court
| Of this parish is Invested of such jurisdic-
ton accordingly. The records in any and
all c riminai proceedings; over which the
Superior Court has Jurisdiction. now
pending in the First District Court. shall.
on motion Of the Attorney General or dis.
trict attorney. be transferred 20 the new.
Discretionary powe: is given the new
clerk to command the old one to do such
acts as may be necessary in tUrthe,ancc Of
the objects stated in the act.
Prosecutions for ofeEses within the
Jurisdiction Of the Firs: District Court
shall be upon information o: the Attorney
General or district attorney. or 9 proper
repre- sentative Of either. Indictments in
such cases are dispensed with. Grand
larceny. involving a penalty OF no: less
than two nor more than Zen years ~ the
Peni!eatiary, is fixed q: FIVE hundred dol
lars in value of the object stolen. The
new court is clothed with exclusive jiur;s-
dic.ion 20 Try such eases.
There is some change proposed il the
manner c; drawing jurors. and two jury
commissioners are provided for at AZ az
nual salary of five hundred dollar. pay
able by the city.
Such are The .:in: provisions Q: VIVA:
appears TO US to be a very important bill.
i: is well known tina: both political partie,
have been for the pas: few years very
much dissatisfied with our presen. Grim
inal Court. The bar does no: hold i: in
very high favor. and some Of our hes:
lawyers are reluctant - appear It. Judge !
Abel seems 70 be fixture on that benc,.
1T present. and be is a: times quite unable /.
70 come up 20 the rocu!a: idea Of wL.: |.
Judge should be. ~. has bad habit Of !
talking too much. no matter VIVA: may BE- |;
:,.G reason. On . .ecant occasion. :: !
was reported liz the papers tina: 4 poor
fellow who had been convicted was brought: |;
up 70. sentence. when Judge ..bsli as.
.Ulne! his usual severe :na;isterial aspect.
and began q characteristic haransue. Tie
prisoner interrupted him. Hold Oh.
Judge said the already sore.y :viec:: Gull
prit. please pass whatever sentence you
,hinh proper, bu: spare Ice TIE intiic:iou
D: one G: your lectures.
: resor: has sometime, been had to ::
charge o: venue. nc: SO much or accoun:
Il public excitement. as from TIE :npieas-
~: relations existing between the Judge
~! attorneys employed on one side or the
,:he.. Besides. Judge Abel! complains
la: he is poorly paid fox Ms services, an!
~ nc: always get his money when i: IS
.ue. If the Legislature deprives lin Of
is grand jury. we hardly know wheT. he
'ili go TO find pa,ien: auditors when he
FISHES TO iuyuria:e in a private .rumble:
ut hi. being . personal consideration is
necessarily subordinate! to Ike Paramount
public interest.
We believe tie Iubi:. wants demand
mother, if not u new C.imina; Court.
here is a way. it is true. by which tie
dditioual expense might be avoided; bu:
requires al exhibition 81 sa!..sac,itice
'hich " rarely witnessed. and which. we
ave no. tie f.intest expectation Of seeing.
We hope the substitute O: the judiciary
ommit:ec will receive from the General !
ssembly tina. careful consideration which
le Importance OF this subject demands.
nd tina: It's main features vii, ac cm5oi-
81 into q Law.
A CASE Of WANT OF CONFIDENCE.
7: is not our fault. particularly, nor OF
,s other tarlv journals Cf :hf. civ that Z