New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-01-16
LOCAL MISCELLANY.
PENoDELLING THE COURTS.
SUGGESTED CHANGES RECEIVING MUCH CONSIDER

REMODELLING The COURTS.
SUGGESTED CHANGES RECEIVING MUCH CONSIDER
.ATIoN-IpRAs OF SURROGATE CALVIN.
There are indications that the condition OF the
"n az Albany fns Ills year than the Legislature
0iyen to the subject IN long time 1 ne presehta-
= ton of the constitutional amendment winch sena-
tor Bixby is advocating and which the Bar Associa'
ton of this city approves, namely. to consolidate
the New-York Superior and Common Pleas courts
with the Supreme Court, is attracting attent on 10
the work and deficiencies of some OF the innor
c0urts, The ten Civil Districts Courts OF the cry
are of immense value in caring for the multi'ude OF
little ltigatious which arise between all Glasses OF
persons. which involve generally small sums Oh
money, but which are often OF as much Importance
to the poor people interested as greater h,leations
are to the wealthy. Tho most OF inese su.S AL"
want about wages While the amounts involved
may be small the law points that % arise rise
az are as h hs that arise in the
Of greater dignity. The city at present 10 divided
into ten judicial districts each OF which elects it's
civil iustice who commands salary or $OO a
wear. He sits for two or three DAYS OF each week:
The evils most complained OF are the influence OF
local district politics in securing inc election Oh ~
capabIe men, and the attempts OF the same influence
to rum the court of each civil justice alter he Is
elected
Surrogate CALVIN. who has given the subject It, a
great deal of careful attention. explained to lRl-
remedy the difficulties complained Of and to elevate
the character and judicial standing OF these courts
II seems to me,S lie said, that the idea of unit
,ng tSe Common Pleas and the Superior Court with
the Supreme Court lie good and feasible one But 1t
is essential that the Marine Court snouia remain
where it is and continue to do its distinctive work;
But it should do it's lines should be EXTENDED
90 as to include the work OF the civil ds!rct courts
As soon as the of the present civil justices mao
eIpred would abolish their Offices The salaries of
the clerks of these various courts SHOULD DE nxed a
something like 5000 sum snnc1enS 20 I f tbs
mere routine work that now devOlves upon the civil
Justice, such as granting adournments joining issue
and tho like; and this class of work these clerks
should be required to do. Then the number OF Ma
nine. Tires OF the number should be assigned each
month to do the judicial work OF the District Courts
Then these three judges might sit during the m0ntn
In oircut, so to say at each OF tne DsttlcI
which Jury trials should be had. ANY Appeals from
the judgments here should then be taken as IRON
any other part of the Marine Court TO the ehgTs era
trict Courts would be elevated IN thosr luaiclai
character and you would destroy the noxlous enect
of local politics upon the court IL woudnt tnen pe
possible for anyone to say that he owned tnat
cOurt,' Tie political hangers-on who now exert
dsgraceful nauencein some OF the courts would nn9
that under this proposed system these court woulu
be too far removed to be brought within tpis ihnu-
ence The questions to be decided would not only DE
brought before judiciary of higher character Dut
there would come to be uniformity III the ru,ings
upon questions Of practice and law arising III 'h0Se
courts that could he reached in no other way.
Generally the opinion Of the Marine Court genera
Term upon any matter should determine II; VhIy
in cases where the General Term itself thouen tiat
the question was one of peculiar nature that IL
should he considered by higher court, ought any
appeal in the Marine Court TO be carried pey0nu
this point; if any appeal was allowed IL suouiu De
directly to the Court of Appeals instead Of as now
to the Court of Common Pleas. The elevation OF
the judicial character Of the courts is to be consid.
cred even more than the question OF economy. But
effect the first object but would result in saving to
the city of ut least So, 900 year."