St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-01-20
Opposition of the Bar Associa-
ton to the Municipal
Court Bill.
Judge Egan Thinks 1t Will
Make Him Rise Too
Early.
Police Courts Should Not Have
Jurisdiction Over Civil
Cases.
Favorable Action Concerning
Additional District Judges
in This County.

the main court room for the purpose of
hearing the report of the committee to
draft bill to the legislature, recon-
mending the appointment of two addi-
tional district judges for the Second
| judicial district.
Attorney Bell, as member of the
committee, reported that bill had been
drafted, asking for the necessary legis-
lation on the subject. The bill pro-
vides for two new judges for the dis
trict bench, one of whom, it is pro-
posed, shall preside at continuous
special term, and the other to alleviate
the stress of duty now imposed upon
the judges.
Mr.. Bell suggested that each member
| of the ST. Paul bar assume an interest
in the measure and give it the weight
of universal approval, and make the
necessity for increasing the judicial
force apparent to representatives of out
side counties who might oppose the ap
preparation for this county.
| Upon motion of Mr.. Bramhall the
| action of the committee was ratified and
the report accepted.
An exposition of the present state of
affairs of the district court was given
by Judge Egan when he said that Judge
| Simons had 100 cases over year ago,
which, sitting at the special terms he
could not find time to administer. Judge
Simons presided at the special terms,
Judges Brill, Kelly and Wilson occupy
ing the bench daily, except two
HOLIDAYS AND SUNDAYS.
| The accumulation of work and the
| stress of duty was so constant that it
necessarily delayed many important
cases which, if additional judges were
! enlisted. would greatly amelorate the
| position of each and expedite matters for
| litigants.
A suggestion offered by one of the
| members for the appointment of COM
| mittee with instructions to draft bill
| modifying the statutes and making the
| terms of the district court from Septem-
Der to June, with return days on the
| first Tuesday of each month, was de-
| ferred to another meeting of the aSSo-
| citation.
| President Williams called the atten-
| ton of the meeting to an amendment
| drawn come time ago, which made every
| month in the year, except June. July
| and August term, with session OF
| the grand jury three times year, or
| when the judges saw fit to call it.
Judge Egan introduced the following
resolution. offered by II. j. Horn:
| Resolved, That the Bar association of ST.
Paul respectfully express their approval and
recommendation of proposed act of The
| legislature increasing the judicial force of
| the district court Of Ramsey county by two
| additional judges. We urge upon our repre-
| sentatives in the senate and house to use
| their most earnest efforts to impress upon
| the state legislature the importance and ne
| eessity for instant relief in prompt judicial
| action and speedy trials in the Second judi
cial district, in view of the great number of
untried cases now and heretofore pending.
and which are impossible to be tried under
the great stress of judicial business placed
| upon our present judges.
The secretary was instructed to for
ward a copy of the above resolution to
! the Ramsey county members OF the leg
| iSlature.
Mr.. Bell said: ''Mr. President, the
papers inform US that there is about to
be introduced for passage in the legis-
lature, a bill under the title of the ''Mu-
nieipal Court Bill.'' which has for it's
champion our representative, Mr.. Will
| iamS."
| Continuing his remarks he declared
that he did not think the radical
changes proposed by the new bill were
| WISE OR BXPEDIENT.
and he urged the meeting to united ac-
| ton in preventing its passsge. His
| charge at the bill was seconded from all
| parts of the TO I'M.
Mr.. Bramhall dwelt upon the question
for some time and advocated that if
there should be any change at all in the
jurisdiction of the municipal court it
should be to take away the civil juris-
diction altogether and confne it to petty
criminals and justice of the peace juriS-
diction.
FL. j. Horn said that the effect of the
new bill after it had established the
court under the new regime, would fail
to attain its object, but would only
divide the practice and compel, in many
cases, the double practice of the district
and municipal courts. 1t fell short of
its object in every way. He cordially
Endorsed the preceding speaker and was
opposed to any change increasing the
Jurisdiction of that court.
| G. ID. 0'Brien remarked that he
understood the senior portion of the
legal fraternity were arrayed against
the Junior, and that such disposition
existed in some quarters regarding the
matter at issue. 1t had always been the
pride of the st. Paul bar to unite and
go hand in hand upon the ground of
character. Speaking as senior, he as
Sured those present that there was no an
tagonism of the kind. He deprecated
the idea of adopting measures which
would throw the greater portion of the
practice of young men just entering
upon their professional careers in
police court, where the communicating
Influences of petty criminal and inferior
practice and example were dominant.
He would welcome them to the same To-
rum where the elders plead for Justice;
where the dignity of the profession, the
court and the practice made it worthy
OF their emulation.
Cyrus Thomson said he voiced the
sentiments of a great many in pro-
nouncing it most unWiSe and injudi-
cious to give the municipal court civil
Jurisdiction over amounts of $500 and
under. The district court is open to
every civil case. no matter what
amount. Litigants could avail them
selves of the superiority Of this court,
criminal or civil jurisdiction of the
municipal court, he would deem it much
more
FEASIBLE TO DENUDE IT
of all civil jurisdiction, and increase the
judicial facilities of the district court.
| Another member spiced the interest
somewhat by expressing himself very
explicitly, to the effect that the bill in
question was only sprung to deter and
squelch any movement that might pos
sibly be made to divest the municipal
court of its present powers, and thereby
put the body from which such action
was suspected upon the defensive.
''Now," said the speaker, 81 suggest
that we take the aggressive. and effect
the passage of an act which will strip
the municipal court of all civil jurisdic-
ton, and make it police court in truth
and fact"
Judge Eagan threw light upon the
subject,as he showed how the provisions
of the bill, if carried out, would abolish
the offices of the clerk of the district
court and sheriff. The municipal clerk