The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1878-07-27
The Judiciary Amendments
IN. o. Democrat. ]


wherein the substitute for it pro-
posed in the judiciary amendments
to be voted on at the next eiectioh
failed to correct the evils OF the {
nresent system, so far as the admin ]
istration of civil and criminal justice I
i'm the country parishes was con-
cerned. We demonstrated that the
inefficiency of the lower courts IL
the country. and of the Supreme
Court in the city, was the immediate
cause of slow litigation, and conse-
uuently of the destruction OF credit
and the great embarrassment OF
| commerce and trade. We demon
strated that all these things resulted
| from the infrequency of the sessions
of the district courts i'll the country
parishes and the peripatetlc nature
of those courts. We also showed
that there was no adequate remedy |
for these evils provided III the pro-
posed amendments. They merely
abolished the parish courts, ana III
SO doing they make matters worse
and subject the less important hn-
cation. now disposed OF with some
degree of promptness by the parish
courts, to the delay and viclssltudes
which attend that within the Juris-
dictiop of the district courts. lhey
also abolished the resident judiciary,
the one commendable feature OF the
) parish court system, and leave
number of parishes without a judi
cial officer competent to issue inter
3. loeutory orders in civil causes or to
hear application for bail or habeas
cornus in criminal cases. Really
the only thing desirable in these
amendments is the economy result
mo from the abolition of the parish
conrts and this is attained at the
cost of such serious detriment to the
already inefficient administration OF
Justice that it is not to be Thought OF.
AT the last election the people, In
rejection the amendment proposing
y the abolishing of the parish courts,
declared themselves unwilling IL
rive them up on the sole ground ol
5 their costliness. They were willing
70 pay even the present enormous
expense rather than relinquush th'
BENEFITS of "a resident Judiciary, ever
though the judges composing
were unlearned in the law, AM
thought the jurisdiction OF thei
,. conrts was 50 limited as to serionsi.
interfere with proper functions
Still they had preliminary power
i'm all criminal matters and were ai'
tborized to dispose of all successlo
business and the less important htl
VI" CATION, and even for these advantage
the people were willing to stand I'll
preseut enormous expense of SUI
'h' nortino these courts. PrOmptne'
and certainty are considerations
n the first Importance III the admin
= tration of the law, both civil al
criminal, and these are to he 81
tanned only by resident judicial
and through courts almost contin
ously in session. The lack OF the
qualities in our court system is a.
rrC to the CAUSES we have enumerat'
and not to the overwork OF the Judge
Half the number We now suppc
could do three times the labor TIL
are called on to perform, so III
INN economy can be obtained and at I
and same time efficiency. The amen
the ments obtain the economy, but I'll
vast do so by creating judiciary syst.
sing even less efficient than the EXIST
one. Now. we maintain that 1t Is
Wo, more importance to perfect the s,
tenn and remove the impediments
the way of speedy justice than II
Etc, Tn economize in u matter Of I
T the kind. -,
As we have shown, the trouble
the country parishes lies in the III
ouency and inefficiency of the lo'
courts. But how do these anne
- ments 20 about remedying itf II
% the destroy the single commenda
feature of the parish courts inst
EN- or of developing and applying 1t. !
cents do nothing for the courts OF orig
to ms jurisdiction, but they offer a
py of ,1;,f sc tho Supreme Co
all of Ior tiie ioiio, ,ol;.f i necess
The Supreme Court is not one
behind Its country docket, yet
;utermediate circuit court is
y;ded for in these amendments
names the purpose of relieving that &C
The Supreme Court requires no
S, lief in the country parishes,
ork. there is not particle OF nee'
~ these circuit courts. The whole
+: !: !: !; Is: q: :; !;
Ira, The only trouble is, that these
.e CaseA come on III niiusu -.
nch con- tices of the Supreme Court arr
posed to get rid of it'in two W
" and in doing so, they render
t s:,..,,. they call ..saddle-bag dec,si
llIIp,e that never take rank as the III
OE on,Io,.;tv unou the points the