The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1877-08-09
cnnntx Iudra.

The Aledo Mercer co., Record of the
9Th inst. copies the following article from
the Macomb Journal and says Of il,
Though written for McDonough county,
will. as the Almanac makers say, suit this
meridian nearly as we'll" Rock Island
county being in very nearly the same poIit-
cal latitude as Mercer county, we publish it
for the benefit Of those concerned:
The great importance to the people in
the selection of man to fill the position of
county judge, may not be as thoroughly
understood by them as it should be. Here
tofore the duties Of that Office have been
such that any man of good, sound judg
ment, possessing the other qualifications
REQUESTS to the discharge of the duties of
a justice of the peace, got along very well
as Judge of the county court. Under the
old system no very great damage could be
done to litigants by erroneous decisions 10
relation to the law, as applied to given
case, because an appeal could be taken to
the circuit court, and new trial had. the
same as on appeals from justices of the
peace, aud on that account it made no
great difference whether the county court
Judge was versed in the law or not. There
has, however, of late year been great
changes made by the legislature, in regard
to both the Jurisdiction of, and the practice
in this court In 1872 a radical change
was made 10 the county court. 1t was
made court Of record and the rules Of
practice and pleading which obtained in the
circuit court were made applicable to it
Its jurisdiction was greatly extended, 81
that most civil cases, not involving ovel
$500, could be tried in it, and also al
criminal cases when the punishment wa
anything less than death or imprison
ment in the penitentiary, but still the ap
peal to the circuit court was permitted
where trials de aOU0 were had
The last legislature, however, enlarged
this Jurisdiction so as to cover civil case
involving 81 200, and making the appea
direct 70 the supreme or appellate court
, where no new or second trial can be had
Under this new law the county court juris
} ldiction is concurrent with that of the cir
cult court in civil actions where the amour
lin controversy does not exceed $1,000. ant
lin criminal cases where the punishment i
anything short OF death, or Imprisonment
in the penitentiary. This being true. it i
important that the judge should be ma
who is somewhat conversant with the lay
and the rules of pleading now in use in tn
courts of record in the state. :"
The increased jurisdiction of the count.
Judge are in addition to the probate bust
ness which formerly were the chief feature
: of his duties, and make the Office hardl,
second to that of circuit judge, requiring
knowledge of the principles and practice o
law, in the county Judge equal to tina
deemed essential in circuit judge. Will
we have no pet candidate for the Office, W
|, feel an interest in having an honest, caps
bic man placed upon the bench; one VIII
is conversant with the laws of the STATE
aud with the rules of practice in our courts
t An unqualified person, in this position
3 will cost the tax payers of the county NOR,
, every year, than the salary Of county jude
during bis term ofofhce.