The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1877-08-22
INFERIOR COURTS.

The question of the adoption Of an Infe-
rior Court for the several counties of the
State as authorized by Act Of the last
Legislature Is mot 80 completely dead or
disposed Of as some ofpur contemporaries
seem To- think, some Magistrates Of this
county at least having opinions ofthcis
own on the subject, and being desirousto
have little more time for reflection he-
fore deciding absolutely against IL
AS we have said before, IN the abstract,
we are and have been decidedly In favor
ofthe restoration of a proper system Of
County Courts, and we think that idea
was dominant one III the country in
sustaining the demand for a Constitutional
Conventions. But whether the system
framed by the'ast Legislaturesnpplies the
want Il open to discussion We, feel lis
imperfectiuns, and therefore have not
thought it wise to urge the adoption of the
system for ourselves unless there was that
popular sense Of its necessity which must
be satisfied by action. We can advise
this much; that as there ~ much good,
even ia the imperfect biIl.now IN Sorce, II
would be wisdom to be limo haste todecide
absolutely and irrevocably against IL, but
To wait and nave deliberately; aid 10 the
meu, time ,pok more closely into the
question, and sec If there are not such
merits in lie present law as.lwill justify IL,
MS foundations acknowledgements.
One thing must strike every suitor in
tile present Superior Courts, which Il. the
very subordnate position the civil b,si-
ness bears to thecrininal Docket. However
trivial criminal eases may be, they must
take precedence, Oh grounds Of humanity
to the offender and on grounds Of econo-
my to the county. But the civil rights Of
parties to suits are Of vastly more interest
10 iliciu than can lie the guilt or inno-
cence, tile confinement or freedom Of the
class " hose offences fill the jails and oc-
cupy lie Courts. The concerns 81 pro-
perty, lie exigencies OF estates, tile eR-
fnrcenlentsD fcnliacts, all demand their
equal Share of attention wllicl, il denied
them practically rs the preredence given
tocrinlinal cases; and suits are postponed
term after term To ihe fearful accumula-
ton OF c,,sts, or else settle,loui Of Court
III reference under necessity which u
compulsory hatseldom satisfactory. Now,
tile establishment ofthe Inferior Court
come, mas a relief to this trouble. Il
take charge ofall The lower grade ofcrime,
and ,lispuses Of II; relieving at lie same
time the Snpefi,r Couts Of the costs,
which are transferred 70 the other courts,
IT, tliis cxieutnot adding an item Of cxs
I,euse to lie Inferior Courts.
There is no question, also, that the
County expenses may 10 materially
diminished by the more speedy disposi-
lion of prisoners To be made 10y the In
ferior Court. Each prisoner costs the
county fifty cents day. There arehow
twelve prisoners III Orange jail whose
average term Of Imprisonment br the
Opening of the next term OF the Superior
Court viii have been three months each,
ninery days, or SIS for each one, or SID,
lof tlie sliole.
Til. cost Of an Inferior Court may he
abcul $500 for each term. Two ierns.a
gear, or one lnlermediatc between each
term Of the superior Court, might be suf-
iicient. The saving is jail fees, and the
reduction OF expenses in the Superior
Courts hy the transfer Of It's minor cases 10
the c@,It ,rlow, would jointly so Lessen
county expense Us q inake u scarcely APP
prpuiabIy mure thai under the present
system.
Al present we will aid no more except
to hope thai there WILDE no hasty &C Ion
either one way or tile other. II i anew
question, and let ample time be given for
reconsideration.