Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1875-02-12
FRIDAY MORNING.. FEB. IL, 1875.
THE CIRCUIT AND COUNTY
COURTS.

There is nothing more discreditable to
The legislature than that since it has dis
covered that no member of the body can
legally fill one of the newly proposed Cir
quit Judgeships, not step has been taken
in the direction Of creating them. 1t
looks almost like plain case. Before the
war. with Virginia undivided, there were
4wenty-one circuits, and now, cut in half
zhey propose twenty 1.-TWO for the remaining
half. The interests Of the people seem to
have been little considered in the matter
of courts; in the cutting down Of the coup-
" courts their convenience was disre-
sarded upon now exploded plea of eco
Monty. and now, in further disregard, the
FIVE new circuits have been proposed.
-Wher the county courts were cut down
seventeen Of the Circuit Judges were
sounded, and they all agreed they ''could
manage all the business before them,' and
now the story is that they are overworked.
The whole affair is undisguised trifiing
with the intelligence Of the people. A re-
turn to the county court system should be
made point of by the people in the selec-
tion Of their delegates to the next legisla-
ture all over the State. Let them test the
place seekers, or their canvassers by whom
they are pestered before nominating day,
on this question. The Page Courier has
q long and most excellent article on the
present working Of the circuit court sys-
fem. from which we make the following
extract:
Judge Turner has very heavy circuit;
here are three OF the largest counties III
the State in it, in all of which there are
large and thriving towns, and the aitiga-
lion is very considerable, and the other
counties are also quite large and the bust
ness of the courts heavy. The criminal
prosecutions have been numerous, and
MANY of them in Clarke, Frederick, Page
and Rockingham have been of the highest
grades, occupying whole terms lat times
in the trial of one. or two cases. Such was
The case with the trial of the Lit5les in
Clarke and Frederick, the trial of Cubbage
in Page, taking the whole almost of the
session Of the recent term,) the trial OF
Lillard and the Page negroes the term pre-
vious, and yet our Jail has been left with
several inmates to lay there on an expense
of forty cents per head per day to the Trea-
sury Of the State, for four months longer.
till the Circuit Judge comes around again
to have his time consumed with their
trials, to the unavoidable neglect of the
trial docket of his court, both on the law
and equity side of it. 1t is true many, the
majority of all such cases, are disposed of
without any protracted litigation or inves-
tigatiOn. but yet as all know many do give
rise to protracted trials, both before the
courts and juries. Large juries are always
drawn for every term of the court; they
come to the courthouse, hang around for
DAYS and days till the legal term nearly
wears out, when they are discharged and
return home to their neglected families
and business, without ever having been
sested in the jury box. Witnesses are
snmmoned (often from distant coanties),
men and women, at inclement seasons OF
the wear. many poorly clad, hang around
court houses, become wearied and worn
out. go home and are not on hand when
called for. Counsel cannot find it in their
hearts to complain, continuances are agreed
upon, and away goes the case INTO tne
clerks bundle Of ceases pending" to be
walked up four months afterwards. and In
all probability consigned to another snooze
In this county, we have seen TINS enact ma
ment over and over again, with no 1ault OF
the Judge, and we know there has not beer
tried single litigated action at law, re
nuiring the Intervention Of a jury, at the
last two terms of the circuit court. These
two terms have been absorbed with criml
nai trials; the judge, of course, dlsposln!
of q considerable amount OF chancery busi
ness il, chambers, and in the manner as al
LAWYERS. know Of conducting that kind .
Uractice. House document No. ought t.
be familiar to both Houses, and 1t speak
for itself.