Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-12-22

The bill to regulate judicial proceedings In the
District of Columbia, introduced in the Senate
by Mr. Vance on the 18th Inst and referred to
the District committee, provides ='That terms
Of the Supreme. Court of the District of Column
bia, and OF each and all the branches thereof. to
Wit the General Term the Special Term or Equity
Court, the Circuit Court and the Criminal Court.
shall be held on the first Monday in each and
every month. excepting the months of July, Au-
gust, and September; and each of said terms shall
continue until the day Of the commencement OF
the next succeeding term. except the June
term, which shall end with the last day Of June,
unless extended beyond that day by special order
OF the Judge holding the same: Proridei ho,r-
erer. That the trial OF any cause pending at the
time herein prescribed for the termination of
any term shall be proceeded with until its con-
clusion, notwithstanding the lapse Of the term:
and prOrlied further That ali motions made at
any term shall be regarded as continued from
term TO term until disposed Of by the court.
Sec. 2. That for each and every term of the
Circuit Court and the Criminal Court juries shall
be summoned and jurors drawn In the manner
now prescribed by law. except as herein modi-
fed; and the period OF service of such Jurors
shall commence and end with the term for
which they are called to serve unless a cause
should be on trial at the time fixed for the ter
mination Of the term, when the same shall con-
tinue as now provided by law; and no person
shall be required to serve as a Juror for more
than one term in any one year.
Sec. J. That no person shall be qualified to
serve as juror in the Supreme Court of the
District of Columbia unless he can read and
write the English language and pays taxes upon
real estate in said District.
Sec 4. That no person shall be DISQUALIFIED TO
serve as Juror by reason Of having previously
formed or expressed an opinion upon the merits
OF any case for the trial of which he may be
called, unless such person shall have served
upon the jury In some previous trial Of the case.
Sec. 5. The fees OF Jurors shall be four dollars
day for each juror for each and every day dur
ing which he shall have been In attendance
upon the court as such juror.
Sec. g. That in all cases whenever it shall be
necessary to oil vacancies or deficiencies in any
jury panel, however such vacancies or def1cen-
cies may have occurred additional names must
be drawn from the jury box provided by section
S53 of the Revised Statutes OF the United States
for the District OF Columbia; and no talismen
shall be summoned In any case whatever to
serve as jurors unless all the names In such box
shall have been drawn and the required jury
shall not have been obtained therefrom.
Sec. z. That within thirty DAYS from and after
the passage of this act the commissioners ap-
pointed by the Supreme Court Of the District OF
Columbia, under section S51 OF the Revised
Statutes Of the United States for said District
to make lists OF jurors, shall prepare such list
of jurors in accordance with the provisions of
this act and of previously existing laws upon
the subject, so far as such previous laws are not
hereby repealed or modified; and they shall
place upon such list only the names of persons
competent, under this act and existing law as
hereby modified, to serve as Jurors; and such
names shall be deposited in box as now pro-
yided; and jury-lists heretofore made and names
now in the jury-boX shall no longer be used. ex-
cept as the same may be placed on the new list
herein provided to be made. And at least once
! in each year thereafter, during the month Of
January. and as often also as the court NAV di-
rect. such commissioners shall prepare similar
lists of names, and deposit such names In such
box as provided; and the list for each year shall
contain at least one thousand names.
Sec. s. That the commissioners to be APP
pointed under section SOL of the Revised
Statutes for the District of Columbia shall be
three In number, and shall be entitled to re-
ceve compensation of IS day for each day
they shall be in attendance in the preparation
OF the lists herein required to be made.
Sec. 9. That section So5 of the Revised
Statutes of the United States for the District OF
Columbia be. and the same is hereby, amended
so as to read as follows: "At least ten DAYS be-
fore the commencement Of each term of the
Circuit Court or of the Criminal Court, the
clerk shall break the seal of the jury box in the
presence of the court, or Of some one or more
of the judges thereof, and proceed in such
presence to draw therefrOm the names of so
many persons as are required; and he shall
enter his proceedings upon the minutes of the
Court in General Term"
Sec 10 is the usual repeating clause