The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1877-05-18
Circular TO Attorneys-at-Lavr.

The commissioners appointed uu-
der the law of March 9th, 1877, en-
titled San act to provide for
the revision of the General Statutes
of Kansas" wish to avail them
selves of the experience and judg-
ment of every practicing lawyer in
the State, as to changes and altera-
tons necessary or proper to be
made in the laws as they now stand
upon the statute books. You will
therefore do them q favor by sGg-
gesling such amendments, whether
alterations of existing provisions,
or entirely new aud additional pro-
visions which, from your practice
are meritorioHs. In doing this re-
fer to each provision where you
suggest amendments, by designa-
ting tine year, the page, and the
section, thus: amend act of IS,
page, section-, as follows :"
(wri;ing the proposed amendment.)
We also desire your best judg-
ment as to the policy of making the
following changes:
/. Reducing the number of couE-
" Offices, by uniting into one the
power and duties now conferred
upon two or more. If deemed adj
visable, what offices can best be
united?
2. Abolishing the Office of County
Attorney, and making the Probate
Judge ex-off1cio County Attorney.
3. AbolIshing the office of Coun-
ty Attorney, and creating the Office
of District Attorney for each judi
cial district, to be chosen in such
manner as will best insure a compe-
tent and faithful public prosecutor
for each county.
4. Making the Sheriff the asses
sor of real property in bis county.
5. Creating Board of Assessors
of real property-such Board to
consist of three men of experience,
to be appointed by the Board of
County Commissioners.
E. Separating the township cleo
ton, and changing the time for cleo
ting township officers back to March
or April.
Z. The enactment of an effective
registration law for the entire State
such one as is authorized by Sec
ton four of article five of the con-
stitution. (Gen. Stat, p. 500
s. Providing for a grand jury,
to be ordered by the District j Judge,
upon the request of the public pros
ecutOr, or the Board of County
Commissioners, or upon the written
request of ten citizens and property
holders of the county-prosecu-
tons for crimes, generally, to be by
information, as now provided by
law.
8. The policy and prosperity of
dispensing with a preliminary ex-
animation, in all cases of INSIDE
meanor-that is, prosecutions for
offenses less than felonies, not with
in the jurisdiction of justices of the
peace to try and determine, to be
commenced by filing informations
at once in the district court by pub.
lie prosecutor, on the sworn COM
plant of responsible person.
10. Dispensing with jury ESQ.,
calledO in justices courts, but allow
ing the Justice, where he deems it
proper, on the request of either
party, to call in two other justices
of the county to sit as associates in
the trial of any case, the three to
constitute the court; the justice be-
fore whom the action is pending to
enter the judgment or decision as
that of the court; and the associ-
ates to have a reasonable per diem
only, to be taxed as cost against the
losing party.
IL. The verification of all plead
ings in the district court, and the
prevention, so far as possible, of all
oh 70 on6 fF.iu aud ofl
merely for delay.
II. Such general revision of the
practice act, in civil actions and
proceedings, as will secure speedy
trial and determination of all such
cases, and general reduction of the
costs of litIgating rights of parties.
l3' Restricting jurisdiction of
justices of peace,in all contested c.
ses, to one hundred dollars-but al
lowing judgments upon confession
to be entered in the amounts net
exceeding three hundred dollars.
The questions herein before sug-
gested constitute but very few of
the matters with respect to which
changes in existing laws may be
deemed necessary; and you are re-
Quested to suggest amendments or
changes in regard to all subjects
needing revision. Early responses
are requested.
All letters and communications
should be addressed as follows:
"Revisors of Statutes, Box 1924,
Topeka, Kas."
E. STILLINGs,
w. g. WEBB,
B. +. SIMPSON
Commission of Revision,