The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1877-11-03


of the parish court in. this State,
who laughed to scorn the forms
of law, and played sad havoc
with the Jurisprudence of the
State. If a law happened TO
stand in the way Of their unjust
and arbitrary rulings, why. so
much the worse for the law. Men
have been elected parish judges
who could scarcely afix their
sign manual to the judgments
which they rendered. An attor.
ney presenting the case OF his
client to such a Judge could take
nothing for granted, because he
was addressing a man who was
ignorant of the most elementary
principles of law. In fine, such
fantastic tricks were played by
some parish Judges as brought
the administration of justice into
disrepute.
OF late years, the tendency has
} been to elect able and upright
men to the parish judgeship and
not unfrequently, members of the
bar have been chosen. But there
are, we doubt not, some parish
es yet cursed with unworthy and
incapable judges. This is to be
attributed to the defect in our
constitution requiring no qualii.
cation for the Office, and we. may
expect such results, until the de-
feet in question shall have been
radically eliminated from our
constitution.
We are not opposed to having
the Office as nintegral part of
our judicial system. On the con-
trary, we would have the consti-
tuition so amended as to provide
for q Judge learned in the law,
and having practised at least two
years iii the State, to be elected
every four years by the people of
the parish, and having the same
jurisdiction now conferred On the
present occupants Of the Office.
We would'have the salary fixed
at two thousand five hundred
dollars, so as to invite men of
talent and of professional attain
S ments to accept the position. 1t
Il stands to reason that few men
would yield up their practice for
a pitiful salary of twelve hundred
q and fifty, or seventeen hundred
and fifty dollars per annum. But
fix the salary at two thousand
q five hundred dollars, and the
term of Office at four years, and
competent men will exchange the
y bar for the bench. We suggest
the term Of four years, because
it would be expecting too much
of a lawyer such as; would adorn
the bench to give up his practice
with the uncertainty of being
r- elected at the end of his FIRST
term, and with the prospect Of
perhaps having to resume prac'
tice under nearly all the disad
vantages of a beginner. Beside.
four years is not too long a tern
for a judgeship. District judges
are elected every four years
Why aOt make the term Of par
lsh Judges as'long, since thei1
duties r equally important
b and arduous.
v There is one difficulty in thus
e providing certain qualification
for the Office of parish Judge. L
may happen for instance, tina
in some parishes, no lawye
would be found who would ac
cept the nomination, or who would
> be acceptable to the electors. Thi
y might be obviated by providing
. that in such cases, the people
, would have a right of going out
II u side the parish to find a compe
-, tent person. There is no reason
; why residence in the parish
II - h made an essential re
- - .lytu fn tho off,.
10 quisite for e''glon.ss, 10 .uo oi'o .
II OF. 'parlsh Judge. Is it fequl.s'
~ a district judge to reside j.
- each parish of his district
- MaEifestly not, and yet nj
one would think that a distric'
- judge residing in Assumption o.
y Terrebonne would be less fit Il
y administer justice in Lafourche
:, than if he had his domicile in the
- latter parish. On the contrary, We
. apprehend that he would, from
= this very fact, make a better
= Judge, because he would have ;nt
possible motive to be biassed OF
prejudiced. So that, the Difficult
: ty we have suggested is of very
: little for e, and can easily bt
:, overcome by adopting the expe.
!, dient we have indicated.
~ Another way to meet the diff
!, Guilty would be to provide for thu
appointment of a Judge in case O