The morning call., 1890-12-12
NEEDED REFORMS.
A Meeting of the California Bar
Association.
Changes in tbs Judicial System Of the State
Recommended for Adoption by tie
Forthcoming Legislature.

The California Bar Association met YES
terday, at 207 Suffer street, with ex-Judge
1. 7. Stoney in the chair and Charles ].
Swift acting as Secretary. The Chairman
stated that the special object of the meeting
was to suggest desired legislation to be sub
mitted to the forthcoming Legislature, and
urged the necessity of Immediately taking
action in this regard, maintaining that mat
tiers such as were about to be dbnsidered
should properly emanate from members of
the legal profession.
On motion of III. N. Clement, DR.. E. r.
Taylor, although not member, was invited
to participate in the discussions.
The Committee on Judicial Administra-
ton and Procedure submitted a voluminous
report, recommending humber of much
needed reforms. The chief object In view
was to diminish the labor deyolving upon
the Supreme Court and dispose of the pres
ent accumulation OF business before that
body. The committee recommended the re-
duction Of the membership of the tribunal
to Chief Justice and five associates, to
hold Office for period of ten years. The
vast accumulation OF business could be pre-
vented in the future by curtaiIing the pres
ent original and reducing its appellate juris-
diction.
1t was also made known that the views of
large number of prominent members of
the profession had been obtained on the
subject, and the general opinion seemed to
favor the plan proposed.
STATE JUDICIAL DISTRICTS.
The same committee also recommended
the division Of the State into four judicial
districts. with at least three judges to eaci.
district holding Office for eight years, the
same to be known as the intermediate
Court Of Appeal
After short discussion the report was
adopted and referred to the proper COM
mittee.
The Committee on Jurisprudence and
Law Reform, consisting of John L. Doyle,
John ID. Bcknell, Ralph C. Harrison, L. ID.
sawyer ana Thomas l.. Winder, next made
its report.
The many Inconsistencies and imperfee-
tons OF the Constitution were pointed out,
ana several instances of this fact recited
Particular attention was called to the
necessity OF amending the provisions re-
lating to municipal Incorporation, and the
necessity of new city charter. The pres
ent police organ Zation of San Francisco is
deplorably Insufficient and ill-organ;zed,
and the almost uSplesSness Of III. codes is
shown, particularly by the uncertainty and
inconsistency of the marriage and divorce
laws.
Special attention was called to the DELAYS
of tho Supreme Court, which, it was as
sered, resulted as much from ill-advised
procedure as oyerwork. The rene y sug-
gested was the immediate abolition of printed
arguments, the Supreme Court of the United
States being cited as an example of the ben
efitS of this plan.
The report ended with the submission of
number OF resolutions. TO which Chairman
Stoney offered certain amendments. The
resolutions as amended were then discu- sed
serlatim and adopted. Following is an
epitome of the same:
AN EPIToME OF THE CHANGES
The appellate force should be Increased by
creating new courts; the present Supreme Court
should not be abolished, bat The personnel re-
ouced 10 a Chief and four Associate Justices
the volume OF work should be curiaiied; the Su-
pleme Court should entertain APPEAL, from M
ternedlale courts with certain stated excep-
lions; the original jurisdiction of the same
Should be limited 10 wits necessary for the ex-
ercise OF It's appellate jurisdiction aud such as
may be directed 10 Inferior Il ibunaiS; IL shall
issue no Wits OF habeas corpus; IL should be an
chored IN some spot designated By the Legisla.
lure; intermediate courts should be created for
appeals from Superior Courts in all cases at
present appealable from the LATER 10 The Sg-
preme Court; Intermediate courts should be I'M
movable; committee OF live should be ap-
pointed 10 take such action with regard to The
Legislature.
j. NJ. Seawell offered a resolution thar n
committee OF appeal should be appointed by
the Legislature to finish up tie business
pending before the Supreme sJurt, and the
same was referred to the committee
Upon motion of Mr. Swift it was resolved
to have all the resolutions of the club pub
lished and forwarded to the members OF the
profession, the Legislature and the Supreme
Court.
The appointment of committee, pursi,-
ant to the resolutions adopted, was deferred,
and, after short discussion OF mattrrs of
min or Importance, an adjournment was taken
to the call of the Chair