Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-12-27

| INGS-GRoUNDs on WHICH DIVORCES MAY BE
| O8TAINED-EXPENsIvE CONTESTED CASES
| FAMILY QUARRELs PATCHED Up IN LAWYERS
! OFFICES.
| member of the bar who has some practice
in divorce cases said when asked by a STAR re-
| porter if that kind of business was not increas-
! ing in the District:
| 'Oh, yes; the number of cases filed increases
| yearly. but l am not certain that the number of
applications granted increases. for In some
cases after the bill is filed bat few if any fur
/ ther proceedings take place"
Il have been looking" said the reporter ION
the equity docket. and find that since January
| 1st last that 102 cases have been fled, ard of
these DEGREES have been granted in 40 cases.
! leaving 62 cases pending
Probably Of the pending cases two-tlrds
will be prosecuted to a decree" said the law
yer. land the others will stand over for most
of them. should say three-tourths. are brought
by wives. and when an order is made for ALI
mony pendente lite and complied with they ap-
| pear satisfied with getting support and seem
| to have little further concern SO long as the
a!.mony is paid"
lis that your experience" asked the repor-
ter.
Il am quite certain" said the LAWYER "that
/
be too particular in giving our own experience.
but that there are numbers Of applicants for di-
VOrce who only want the alimony any one can
see 1t is seldom" continued the lawyer,
that the bill filed asks only separati0n-a di-
vOrce from bed and board, naeplsa ct f.Ora we
call it-but when once the alimony is given it
acts often as soothing lotion to lacerated
hearts"
There are several grounds" said the repor-
ter. ''for which divorce is granted
Yes" continued the LAWYER "when either
party has husband or wife living from whom
they have not been legally separated. where the
marriage was contracted during lunacv matri-
monial incapacitv. adultery, habitual drunken
ness Tor three years. cruel treatment and willful
desertiOn and abandonment for two years. con-
stitute grounds for an absolute divorce. Cruel
treatment, endaneering life or limb. and rea-
sonable apprehension of bodily harm, are
| grounds for divorce from bed and board. These
are grounds enough to make brisk market in
the business. you Think
YES" answered the reporter; .but perhaps
the reason is that most persons who have such
causes are slow to act in so important matter
and make their family troubles known"
Then. too put in the lawyer. divorces
/ come somewhat higher than marriages.
modest marriage may be performed at an ex-
/ pense of less than So but that sum. and more
| is required TO place the names of the parties on
/ the equity docket. II divorce was as easy as
marriage there would be many more divorce
/ cases"
| What is the cost usually" asked the re-
| porter.
That depends on the kind of case presented
to the lawyer-whether it will be contested, the
character of the testimony &c
4 g An uncontested case. where the grounds are
ample and the proof sufficient, surely will not
| cost much?" asked the reporter.
mo, not q great amount, but much more
| than was expended on tying the knot if it was
plain affair 1t is much more difficult to unite
the knot than to tie it. have taken some plain,
! simple cases for $50. out of which have paid
! the clerk s.the marshais and examiners Charges
the docket fee being So the marshal 81 and
/ the examiner So per session at least. When the
/ incidental expenses We're counted in there was
| not much of a fee left. / doubt whether YOU
/ can find any member of the bar who Will take
any case for less than $50, and l am quite sure
! that the most OF the members of our bar will
/ not take one of these cases at less than 500
and then all expenses must be paid by the
! party. AS have intimated. this applies to un-
contested cases"
10y course. contested cases cost much more :"
/ said THE STAR reporter.
! Yes" replied the lawyer, especially if both
parties get their blOOdup. Sometimes however
/ before the real fighting begins friendly parties
Will interfere and bring about cessation of hos
I Utilities. \ Ou need not smile when say that
know OF cases. and good ones, too in which the
| lawyer has acted as the mutual friend of the
parties and bl ought about reconciliation cheat
| ing himself out OF good fee. There are cases
| HOW oH TIE DOOks " ulCn VIII result nnallv In q
| decree OF divorce, the annulment of the matri-
| moHial ties, the separation of children, and the
| loss OF the homestead where every effort was
J made by friends and lawyers to make peace"
Some divorce cases." said the reporter "re-
| suit from put-up Jobs, do they not?"
"Oh. yes" the legal gentleman replied; ''some
result from such jobs and Others are aided bv
such jobs. A case in which Job Is involved Is
necessarily costly one, especially If one or both
parties have money or influence Sometimes
there may be nothing whatever In the cases but
mere suspicion at first, but it can be worked I'D.
and there are parties who will do it. As a rule
most cases may be settled in the LAWYERS office
if the facts have not been made public. know
where reporter stepped in as peacemaker
after the parties were thoroughly angered and
brought about a reconciliation. Doubtless if
some parties who sue for divorce would reflect
on the cost and the results to follow they would
be slow TO take the initiative. A small family
quarrel may start the proceedings and when
once the record is made public the party sued is
just as willing for the divorce as the other is
anxious for It, and therefore unless the charges
are of a very damaging character no resistance
is made"
How does the cost here compare with the
cost of divorce in other places?'
a. 1t is far below the cost in most places, be-
lieve," answered the lawyer. I'm an uncon-
tested case, with a proper bill, supported by
proof. 500 will certainly defray all expense.
| The standing of the parties. too. has something
to do with the cost, for where they are rich
the fees will be larger. There is no way of es-
tlmating what contested cases will cost. Some
decided here have cost thousands OF dollars"
Nov