Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1881-03-17
j Judicial Reform.

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EHlEF ~ I'----.-----------.-7 7'i'-l o. DIV
bsD "a 79h9 Judicial Reform. - ! .'i1 i.
L The isgbjectaof judicial reform has
been 'agitatedl ina this State for several
years. THE constitutional convention
Of 1874 devoted more attention to this
matter, perhaps. than to any ore article
considered by it. An article of. great
merit IN the main, was submitted; but,
unfortunately, a section was attached
fixing the salaries of supreme court
judges The salary of no other officer
was fixed in that instrument, and con
vention of lawyers undertaking to fix
the salaries of that class. at time
when the currency was huctuating in
value, at nearly double the amount paid
under the present constitution. the peo-
pie resented the innovation severely.
That fact, perhaps, more than any
other, contributed to the defeat of that
instrument. Since then, annually, upon
the meeting of the General Assembly.
the discussion of the matter has been re-
newed; various plans have been pro
posed during the, session now drawing
to a close, but probably the best digcsted
project is that submitted by the State
Bar Association. This plan cOntemplates
the adjustment of the district courts,
the increase of supreme court judges to
nine, and the holding of a aspecial term
of the supreme court in each county, by
two of the judges, once each year, h baa
The objection to. this plan is, that the
judges, when sitting in general term,
might feel called apoR to 'leg for. their
decisions upon the circuit, and thus the
court would be no better, in that respect.
than our present, district court The
circuit court plan, as provided in the
constitution Of 1874, would be free from
this objection, and we are Of opinion
that eliminating from that article the
Objectionable provision about salaries
and leaving that matter to the General
Assembly, as in the present constitution.
such an article viii be adopted if pre-
sen1ea TO the people. IhinKing men i,t,tt OUT
side the legal profession recognize the
desirability of judicial reform, but when
it does. come; about let us have the best
tiiat Is available 5.,.o ',,' ,ss, ,,,...' 7uol
There is another feature of this mat
VeF IillSaEt IYillSaEt y crying eyil, aha ops tnat Can
nT tenlStieel W. tesisitsisol aeelolA Aioie
hat - tlie gtea' eilloef a oi fetey cases
crewaed MP at the ompn peas courS
" ny snpoDYuqiso ss5pDYlqs 81 VINO nay gel lhtos
= coolhsf9vetsyINt his heisAeoi aootlI 1lie /
o"heIsnlp Oh Duii pup oe pefihfeeed 70
uiag MN ifY nome ilSo IHp " fne f;ot eopliilon
peas allP n sqplset 9ini to g1eat sfpsnsef
y ny NY hahe9 Sieo Jes.iso ooun' sene
coui' W lass JESUIT 1 Ior s's. Eases. inf9i
ing suns su'iS ei iesS 1i .1an tiree nlhdreu uoi
~ SsIss ei f1a Il ple DPsSSySi fte hia' we
y y sro J'ssSi'e, ri"y y''0 i0s'o"e
aioie, III tlie eoil'ulon li,, pleas
Inns "oeie iPtai', Feheve yhe 1S peas
lliineilsteiy, l 1t ~ouio cause Inc eieellen q
Def'er eiass q .hea' sS . ruie' 70 j'ne
'uS1Nsoi p0''oe' "ouiu l',itR ieS Sui. ih ~
an immense saving 10 htiganFs ';,' ana 10
the publc, and we belleye would De
more satisfactory in the end to all con-
cerned. The i,rv in the. common nleas,
oeineu' - no Jeiy IN 'iio ooihinoii pie"s
OF tii,s county VIII De oisfcaharged TINS Is
week. IL mas peen there SINCE Feb. ~. at
, a cost OF s4 per dayTin all ssss. This
large sum mas Deen pald 1or trying SIX
clrii cases, In which the Verdicts ranged
from $3.50 to, $3.50, and four criminal |
cases This statement of the doings of |
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