Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1885-05-28
MEXICAN LAWYERS.
Some Gossip About the Bench and
Rur im Mexico.

-
some Gossip About the Bench and
Rar i'm Mexico.
A correspondent of the New York |
Tribune, writing from the Mexican CAPT |
tai, says:
In this city one sees no lawyers signs,
no Offices and few cards or anything in |
dicating The existence of lawyers. And
one might wander all day through the
great galleries and courts of the Palace of
Justice without suspecting the existence of
legal talent among tho numerous we'll
dressed gentlemen seen there with neither
books nor papers in hand or chatting
with each other about everything but
business. There are, however, plenty OF
lawyers in Mexico, and plenty of good
ones, too. But il is very ''bnd form to
have sign and shocking TO advertise.
i'iie lawyers Office is ut his private house
or suite of rooms md he says "eome to
my house." instead of ito my Office" His
office ut home is often fitted up in fine
style with library nbounding in INV
hooks in Latin, French and English, most
of which he can read quite well in the
original. The office is often decorated
with statuary and pictures ind perhaps
opens ON q courtyard Astounding i'll flowers
and sunshine. He dresses in the best
style; and light cane, black silk hat,
broadclotll coat and tspring bottom"
trousers seem Indispensable to his re-
speciability.
In Mexico the lawyer is held in higher
respect than in many parts of the United
States. He has 10 take long course of
study and pass u rigorous examination ;
the whole course, preparatory and legal,
requiring in some states IL years. The
in,nncpibiltix nF m nrnce inn pra1ntta rrpttinu
through raises the general grade of the
profession far higher than in the United
States. In the country there are many
pettifoggers who practice before the
lower courts, but these do not rank as
lawyers, and cannot practice iii the higher
courts. The ''shystern element seems
quite unknown among the licensed mem
bers of the bar in the City of Mexico
The Judges cannot be distinguished from
the rest of the bar, and are not generally
us old us in the United States, But in III
but the very lowest courts the judge mus
be IL lawyer with u certain number o
years of practice.
The true politeness of the Mexicans il
nowhere 50 conspicuous us in the courts
The judge seems to remember that he wa
once at the bar himself, and is extremel,
oblging to the attorneys; yet there ar
no attempts ON their part to impose o.
him. One hears no brow-beating of wit
nesses, no jokes cracked ON an embarrase
simpleton. In civil cases of importanc
the evidence is generally written down b
u public scriyener, and the questions i
criminal cases are nearly all asked by til
Judge. They have no such rules abou
the admissibility of evidence us in til
United States, and witness may sa
about anything he considers pertinent
the issue. This may be an evil i'll on
way, but it does away entirely with til
little jump-up attorney with his everlns
ing 81 object and the long squabb
that follows. and actually facilitates di
patch of business. The peculiar cast {
the Mexican mind makes it sublimely il
different TO the important difference b.
tween tweedlcdun and tweedledee. Coz
sequently there is very little scope fl
those subtitle intellects who i'll America
courts fight oil IL case ON mere technical
ties. There are of course ways enough
delay n case, and labyrinths enough tn
can be threaded only by those having Il
proper clue but there are few cases di
missed, and few meritorious suitors SUI
iccted TO heavy costs and loss of tin
because IN attorney, who by his license
held out to the world ms competent, Ii
lliitlt u tTllllllb illlSIlht III IL luulltF VIII
in no way affects the merits of the chs
and cannot possibly surprise or preiudi
the opposite party or his attorney.
There is, however, abundant room
the exercise of brains in Mexican Ii
suit. The rule stare decisis has lit
application here, and every cnse is tt
certain extent tried de noYo. The judl
listen respectfully to presidents fro
English, Spanish, Roman, French
American law but decide about as til
please. If there is nothing of politi,
Importance in the case, or no undue
iluence behind the throne, they are gu
apt to follow good precedents. Anne
can authorities, especially Kent and Sto
are held in the highest respect, and
reports of the United States Supre
Court are found in many libraries.
The Mexican lawyer is often pol
clan. He pays his court however to
President and never solicits the rabble
votes or business. He makes no politi
speeches, and even in congress or
Legislature rarely practices orntory at
expense of his hearers. He is, howeve
very good speaker and, considering
small amount of practice he has in spe
ing, is better than the American hwy
The educated MeXicails of the upper eli
TO which almost the entire bar belong,
naturally fluent. In writing, CONVEX
ton, or after dinner speeches they
reel off more words Il minute than
other people living, Hence it is moth
uncommon TO hear young lawyer SIP
for an hour without notes, yet with |
feet east, with a perfect rush of languf
yet without break in a sentence
without grammatical error. Tho
few ever reach tile advanced stage
legal learning reached LIN the best Am
can lawyers, their peculiar system moi
qniring it, they are more finished at
start than most lawyers in the I'm
States. After admission to the bar t
keep up more general course of irad
read more outside of their profcssit
books. and become scholars of II
general culture and less special cul
than American lawyers.
Much of the business done by Inv
in the United States is done by nott
in Mexico, sllch us drawing contri
deeds or other papers, which are BIO
in books, indexed, registered ind
served in tire-proof buildings. As
these are executed and acknowledge,
the notary and generally have witne'
much annoyance from lost altered
forged papers is avoided. The bust
done by many of the lawyers is profit,
but there is not us much small busine
in the United States. As there M
costs of consequence, ind in most
none at I'LL except for the stamped pr
one source of lawyers revenue il
OF. But with ii fulls nm infinite eau
yeXatiOn and annoyance to suitors
high minded attorneys
VI
The New senator.