The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-06-22

mowers. and Jurisdiction Of the Haiatings
Eonrf were divided by creating a CTtminM
court. to be held by;a Judge, whose terrific.
rial ,,,risiicfioYl was 10 be the same as that
os fhe Hastings Court had been, leaving,
however, the Hastings Court in respect 70
all other matters the same constitution, and
expressly comforting upon 1t the same turis-
diction that IL hads had before In ali *otl'er
BEFORE, however, this criminal court was
INT into operation, the Legislature, by an.
other act passed April, IS, 1857, provided
that the Council might postpone the orgahi-
cation OF the criminal court to such time as
IL might deem proper; aud In the mean
time the Hastings Court should continue 70
exercise Its old jurisdiction, both civil and
criminal. tl = ~ sl.4 .!s.,i '-',t -, /.
The law stood thus until the new Constl-
tuition, which provided for hustings courts
i'm all cities containing population OF I'VE
thousand sc with similar jurisdiction Which
may be given by law to-, the circuit courts
of the State"
the present Hastings Court for the city OF
Richmond Acts 1S69-'70, CHI. 43 and ch.
97s.l and gave It jurisdiction OF oil such
moiions. actions, and other proceedings as
were heretofore cognizable by the Hastings
Court of the city OF Richmond, held by the
Judge, and said court held by the aldermen,
as have not been transferred to other tribu-
nails by law" cd oh. 27S). BY chapter 40 OF
the act Of April 7, 1870, exclusive 1llrlsdic-
ton was given to the Circuit Court for the
city of Richmond "of all causes, motions,
matters, and things which are cognlzaDie
by law in other circuit courts OF the
Commonwealth" arising in the CITY Inn
its: like Jurisdiction was given in chancery
matters to the Chancery Court. BY this ACT
the Hastings Court was shorn OF all It's CIVIL
jurisdiction within the limits OF the city, eX-
cent such as may have been since specially
conferred upon it. But there is no act OF
which / am aware that has deprived II OF
any of its Jurisdiction, whether civil or
criminal, in the territory outside OF the city
within mile OF the city limits. On the
contrary, the act Of April Z, 1870 (SesSlon
Acts 1S69-'7O, CHI. 43), gave it jurisdiction
of crimes alone, and that only within the
limits of the city. But as soon as attention
was called to this, on the 11th OF July foi-
lowing, its jurisdiction was. extended to
what il had anciently been. 1t is true the act
". c. 1873, page 1044) gives the Circuit Court
of the county coordinate jurisdiction over
that part of the county within mile OF the
city, but it does not take away the jurisdic-
ton OF The Hastings Court. II is Judge
Guigon's daily practice to exercise illrisdic-
ton outside the city in matters OF crime,
and the same law gives civil Jurisdiction to
him that gives him his criminal jurisdiction.
The Hastings Courts jurisdiction, then,
remains the same as it was provided for in
the Code of 1860, and by the act OF March,
1861. ...t. .....-. -..': =. a-..e' :.
1t follows that the law relative to the jul
risdiction Of the Hastings Court for the city
of Richmond outside the city, but within
mile thereof, is the same as that for the Hus-
tings Court of the city of Lynchburg, and
that deeds for property situated in that ter
ritory must be recorded in the city, and not
in the county.
The law providing that deeds which had
formerly been recorded in the Hastings
Court shall now be recorded in the Chancery
Court (V. C. 1873, 1042) would not seem to
affect the matter. =
You may very, well imagine, hiessrs. Edi-
tors, that have not gone through the
drudgery Of tins examination actuated
solely by the philanthropic desire to be OF
beneft.to my felloW-citizens. In the course
OF professional employment ]. have been
to make it, and it has seemed to
me to be of so much importance to property
owners around the city that / have given
myself the trouble to write out this history
of the legislation upon the subject. 20.
WILLIAM L. ROYAL.