The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-12-23

Items Of Interest to Legal Lights.

Items Of Interest to Lcgal Lights.
A Herald reporter had nm interview
with Judge A. n. WATTS, cJmm0smonsr of
appeals, relative to the workings Of the
higher courts.
Rsporler-Judre, what i5 tho oonditio.
of The susiness now before the courts Of
lastresor2
Judgp-Quitc Cs favorable as could be eX-
peOtcd uuuer the circumstances. Those
not familiar with the workings Of these
courts, have no idea of the gmount OF bust
ness disposed Of by them during the lssJ
three years. Az the passage OF the refer
enoe act in February, 1881, No the court of
appeals there was considerable aCcumtld'
ton of civil business, while that in the SUI
preme court WAS simply enormous. IL
1875 lot OF civil as well as all the criminal
cases then pending, was transferred to the
court of appeals, tho current criminal bust.
ness WAssJ great lhat court wns not abe
even by most strenuous efforts, to dispose of
IL civil cases, while this transfer caused -
blockade ia the court OF appenls, 1t by no
means relieved the supreme court, where
there had been u constant accumulation OF
buuinCss for the past ten years. The then
judges of that court, though working G.-
most day aud night, could not keep pace
with the appearance cases, hence at the end
of each term new cases were added to the
accumulation. So The commission as a
tribunal WAS next tried, but IL was
soon apparent that this would
/ not accomplish the desired result, no
| meet the emergency tins Uc. was passed
l February, 1891 authorizing the supreme
court aud court Ut appeals TO rector civil
| CastH To- the commission without. tine con-
| Hcut OF the parties.
| Reporter What results have followed
/ thnt measurt'
Judge-rhe courts have worked hsr-
momously under the provisions Of that
/ act. Within twelve months the docket OF
| the court Of appeals WHs cleared, since
/ which time that cOurthgs, by constant and
! unremiltlng labor, been able to
Keep up with lbs business.
/ Ga the 0ock1t 81 the supreme court,
where there were many cases OF long stand.
ing, the prac 70 adopted was for the su.
prtmo court 10 specially devote It's time 10
current buSiness--that Is, new cases viii G
the commission worked upon the older
cases Co operating in this way, aud labor
ing from twelve TO fifteen hours per day
We now hope to clear the dockeis within
next year.
RepOrter--Can You estimate the cases rC.
naming on the docket OF the supreme
court at each OF it, branches
Judge-At Tyler, wAefe the business has
almost or quite doubled within twelve
mouths, we had about ono hundred and
GIty cases from the Austin docket besides
the business properly belonging u
the Tyler branches, all o
this YVES disposed of except about
fly eases These will he sent TO Galveston
hence the Tyler doCser may bc considered
us clear. Al Galveston we will dispose o
thut docket aud the cases from Tyler
Whilo ut Austin there are about 100 cases
Oh which may be- added 800 appearance.
cases. ltisuuw Thought that there will
3 mot boz Oyrr l.I cases on the Austin docket
. at me close OF the rCXt t'rm, aud these
will be taken TO Tyler and disposed OF al
that term,
Reporter What wag tho numlpr of
cases ON retrospective dnckuts OF the su.
prone court lu February. lSSl2
, ludge.-At Tyler there were pprhppS lnJ
& cases, at Galveston think about 500. white
D ~ Austin there must have been over 900
These were oil old csses. THAI is uouo of
Thorn we've Appearance cases. Then the sp
g paaruucc cases averaged about us follows
8 Austin, from POO 60 500, Galveston, from 10,
. tD 200, Tyler, from 10 tn 100.
g Reporter When the docEp's are clearet
will the supreme court aud commission b,
r able 10 keep up with the business by per
[ forming reasonable amount of labor
& Judge.-Nts, sir; unless there is m
, unexpected increase I'm business In tina
. event We must do doubls duty
Heretofore the pressure has been so prrn
that we have not had time To reform an,
, oondense our opinions. Excepting alon
the governor, the state has no other ser
I, wants that are worked like the suptrio
: iudgesn
Reporter.-"J Judge, do you favor localiy
ing the courts at Austin?
y Judge,-"No sir. IL would. n ia trn,
!. enable the Judges 10 remain Min tbei
n families, which Is very desirable, and the
+. the STATE would only Ia renuirpd no kae
II up one library, But in INV iudment i6,
would be false enonomy' wonld fave
II further LIBERALIZATION, and establish fv
|, pieces 50 ns 10 sccomnioda all sections
~ the state with terms of two months escI
h with 6rst.clsss Libraries At each r JSC,
"a This would familiarise the ATTORNEY
IA throughout the state with the practice /,
their courts, which by the aid of AN acce. /.
- Bile library, would enable them TO pronerl
y propose and present their case. This va
y see rs a system of public education d.ci,
e edly In the interestof the pnbIic. hssid,
y the courts la this wav are bronght In 90,
~ tact with the bar and people whsn whey
" known, they arc regarded with lively I,
tsrest MS local institntions In which a
Of sections have An canal claim A cbanve ,
70 climate every two months would h. copdn
!, i've of good health and this sil.Imnnr
Il ant consideration In doing brain.wor,