Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1882-12-14
THE NASHVILLE BAR
day, to Take Steps Looking to Reliev-
ing the Crowded Dockets of the
Snnrerna Conrf

Meeting of the Bar Association, Yester-
day. to Take Steps Looking to Reliev-
ing the Crowded Dockets of the
Supreme Court
The Bar Association of Nashville met yes
erday morning in their library. A large
lumber were present. The meeting was
,alled to order by Secretary Fleming.
On motion of j. G. Bradford, Col M. G.
Soodlett was called to the chair and ex-
planned the object of the meeting, which
was to take action looking to memoralizing
he coming Legislature to enact the legisla-
ion necessary to afford proper relief to the
overcrowded dockets of the Supreme Court.
Strong efforts will be made to accomplish
the badly needed reform in this respect
A letter from B. nj Estill, president of
the State Bar Association, was read by Mr..
Andrew Allison. The letter stated that this
proposition had been considered at a meet
ing of the Memphis Bar called for the pur-
pose; the letter also expressed that the
Nashville Bar Association also would take
steps to aid in securing this needed reform.
Mr. John Ruhm offered the following
resolutions:
The Nashville Bar Association, in COM
mon with the entire legal fraternity of the
State, appreciates the injurious effects upon
the vital interest of Tennessee caused by the
over crowded dockets of the Supreme
Court We need only to point out that the
Supreme Court, at its present session
1882 83, held in Nashville, can and will hear
those cases from Davidson County only
which were filed prior to the LIST day of
January, 1879, thus leaving US four years
behind, and leaving undisposed of cases on
OF
docket, and other counties throughout the
State in the same, some even In a worse
predictment.
Resolved, therefore, That we concur in
the earnest protestations which are coming
in from all portions of the State against
further delay by the Legislature to afford
some adequate relief.
In support of the resolutions, Mr.. Ruhm
made brief speech touching the crowded
condition of the Supreme Court docket and
the necessity of relief He stated as sig
nifcant fast that the State of Illinois, with
three times the population of Tennessee,
had only half as many judges and nc
crowded dOckets. Reform of the present
system was but matter of justice to liti-
giants.
The resolutions were adopted.
Mr.. Trimble offered the following reso
lutions, which were also adopted
Whereas, A resolution has been ado pte6
by this Bar Association in regard to the
great need of legislation on the delays
of itigants in this State;
Be it resolved, that special committee
of five be appointed to devise some way
and means for the relief asked and tina
each committee report their action to THU
Association Thursday, December 21st.
The chairman appointed as this commit
tee James Trimble, j. G. Bradford, Johr
Ruhm, Robert Ewing and Andrew Allison
The meeting then adjourned.
The reform for which this association il
working is one of vital interest to every
litigant. Under the present cumbersome
system the docket grows larger from ye II
to year, and the probability of trial withir
reasonable time more remote. The pres
ent term of the Supreme Court, even will
the best they can do, will leave over fv,
years work ON the docket, as no cases will
be taken up that were docketed after 1873
The court will thus have, after adjournment
the accumulated cases of five years loomin,
| up before them, with the prospect of Ion!
and weary waiting before the itigants cal
have justice done them. The remedy to b
| proposed will decrease, not increase ex
4 penses, and enable the court more quickl
and more economically to perform thei
work. Under the present plan, with til
court sitting constantly, it would still b
many years before the docket could b
cleared. Radical reform is an absolut
necessity. -hmerican