The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-02-22
The County Courts and the Circuit
Judges.
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE,

February 1G, 1919.
Editors of the Dispatch: Is the Virginia
Legislature bound and subject to the eXcu.
siyc control and bidding OF the circuit-court
Judges and few of their pet lawyers? What
can be its object in withholding the jurisdic-
ton from the county courts and refusing to
restore them to their proper dignity and a
decent remuneration Instead Of which,
despite the large decrease of business and
indi>putable evidence against the want or
necessity, they propose to increase the cir
cults, AMI, of course, judges. Is this on the
score of economy! surely not. For by q
resolution recently calling on the Auditor
tor an account Of mileage Of these circuit
Judges the startling response is made that
one received in the nei ghborhOod OF s., 52t
from 1870, inclusive, to ID February. 1915.
In the aggregate for five years some
lWenly-odd thousand dollars were paid to
these luncionarles in mileage alone, yet they
cry for more pay-S2 600 not sufficient. Sirs,
you nIay cut of their mileage tomorrow and
retain the present circuits (withouC increase),
with three terms year, and not one of them
will resign: and if they did, it is well known
there are numbers equally qualified, and in
many respects far superior, in every circuit
who would It'll the office certainly more to
the satisfaction of the people. But this is
not the question. 1t is, Are the present
salaries and mileage Startling as the latter Is
shown to be) to be continued to the circuit
judges, and five more circuits and judges
added on, and the jurisdiction and compen-
salion of county courts still restricted as
system of economy? God forbid. There is
no reason why a member of the Legislature
should not be made Judge if he Is lit; and
surely it is the better able to judge OF the
qualifications of its members for any ONCE
tnan of others with whom they rarely ever
come in contact. We see no objection IN
this particular. But where and whence
the necessity of more circuits anu more
Judges? 1t is evident that the circuit
Judges have full time at their regular terms
to discharge the business OF their docke's. Ii
not, they have (most of them) fully half the
wear in which to hold their special terms and
pocket their Some say per diem and mile
age,-certainIy the latter, as may be learned
bv reference to the Auditor-thus having it
in their power to swell their salaries TO
(some say indecentl any decent amount.
Why not cut off all this mileage and per
diem for special terms if they receive the
latter for holding special terms in their own
circuitsI And under the provisions OF the
l55th chapter, section % (page 1047), of the
Code Of 1878, how can a judge receive per
diem for holding a special term in his own
circuit: The people hsar that some do this
at the rate OF $40. Is this an abused privi-
lege and power? If so, will the Legis-
ture stand by and see the State fleeced to the
tune Of 81 600 per annum and eXclaim Econ
omy": And for these very reckless and in
considerate expenditures OF the States money
the only voucher is the judges dictum. Ne
ceSslty! We predict il many Of the clerks
of the circuit courts were on their oaths to
answer before committee Of inquiry of the
Legislature as 10 the question OF necessity,
b ut few would swear to the fact-tbat is, to
AL indispensable, pressing necessity, few in.
deco: perhaps, too, they would testify to the
lact t. at the business and litigation Of these
% 1rts were rapidly declining. Every man
kno>ys-r certainly every lawyer of the Legls-
,,ura or elsewhere Who attends courts
knows- thai the business is nothing like so
pressing US for the first few years after the
prasent co, ,rts were established. No use for
he third 10 rm. But surely when that was
added ON the, hould have been an end to
.peciaI terms. viii their self-imposed duties
md sejf.createG compensation. All THESE
make I'D the arg, ,mtuts for the restoration Of
our county COURT with reasonable (not
c1mpensation. The peo-
ole-nnety.nine out Of every hundred
ire for no more circuits or circuit
Judges and cutting down the humber
If terms TO the con- Nllut'onal provision
The Legislature always wants 10 DO more
han other councils OF Sll'te) and the mile
&c cut eff; or geographic Al measurement
IT estimate made Of actual ecessary travel
y tie cour.s III an sr.lre lIut pefm.t tae.a