Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-07-27
NEED FOR ACHANGE
The State Bar Association Dis
CusseS
RELIEF FOR SUPREME COURT
And Concludes That . Change in Exist
ing Rules Is Imperative
Proceedings.


led 70 order in Judge Groves court
room yesterday afternoon at 2:3o by
President I. j. O'Brlen Of this city.
The meeting was not largely attended
by members outside the city owing to
many Of them being at the weather re-
sorts. Among those from different
portions of the state were noticed jus
tee Grant Of the supreme court, Judge
Cahill Ut Lansing; Dallas Bourdemsn.
Kalamazoo; Michael Brown, Big Rap
Rapids; John c. Patterson. Marshall.
l.. NJ. Keating. Muskegon; w. II. Wells.
Detroit; J. +. Sawyer, Ann Arbor; 5. NJ;
irish, Kalamazoo. The following men,
bers of the local bar were also IN stten.
dance Ex-Mayor Uhl. I. +. Mctisrrry.
ex-Justice Chsmplin. w. +. Mcknight.
Judge Grove, n. A. Fletcher, Fred w.
stevens. j. III. Tateum. w. w. Taylor,
William Alden Smith, Ruben Hatch,
w. w. Hyde. Mayor stuart, Court
Stenogrxpher Walsh, Moses Taggart,
Clark Ii. Gleason, Judge Adsit, Judge
Haggerty. I. F. Carroll, Myrou IL.
Walker. Peter Doran. Justice Mont
gomery and Judge Perkins.
Owing TO the absence OF Secretary ID.
F. Glidden of Detroit Ralph Stone of
this city was elected temporary secre-
tary.
Applications for Membership.
The first business brought before the
meeting was receiving proposals for
membership. On motion of Dallas
Bandeman of Kalamazoo the rules
were suspended and = committee OF
three. consisting of Mr.. BOurdeman,
Michael Brown, Big Rapids, and K. ID.
Barry of this city was appointed by the
president to receive aud pass upon appll-
cations for membership. The following
new members were then elected upon
recommendation of the committees:
Fred w. Stevens. Grand Rapids;
Thomas c. Clark and l.. n. Keatlng
of Muskegon; John w. Champlin,
George Hetferon, Harry D. Jewell,
Ralph Stone and Martin Rozema,
Grand Raplds; John II. Palmer, Big
Rapids; Russell r. Pealer, Three
Rivers; Hugh p. Stewart, Centerville.
Benjamin +. Heckert, Paw Paw; Han
nibal Hart and Philip Padgham, Alle-
gan: Herbert E. Thirsor, Marshall;
Lorenzo T. Durand. Saginaw.
President OBrien then delivered his
annual address, the substance OF which
follows:
President O'Brien's Address.
There is probably no state in the
union which can boast better bar than
that of Michigan nor in which the
| members of the legal profession have q
higher regard to all that 10 best in lega!
practice. 1t is not only suitable, but il
| is q duty resting upon the lawyers OF q
state having attained the age of Michi-
gan to meet at intervals and reason to.
| gether with the view to the abrogation
| of useless or vicious laws and TO recon-
| mend such reforms as their united ex.
perlence may suggest. The members
| of the profession in Michigan have been
slow In recognizing this DUTY while in
the meantime those of other states
have been active and successful IN the
] directions indicated. The time has
come when it seems to me active meas
ures should be taken through this asso-
ciation for reform in legal education
and admission to the bar. The method
of admitting to the bar has been GO
SIMPLE and informal as to amount "a
little more than farce. Tue loose
manner IN which students are permitted
to come to the bar results In loose
notions rs to the duties of the mem
bers of the bar when they are admitted.
| The tone OF the profession is thus
lowered, and not only are Incompetent
persons admitted to do much mischief
but dishonest ones are also free to play
upon an unsuspecting clientage.
Rules for Admission to the Bar.
This subject has been considered by
the American Bar association, and the
president recommends to the state as-
sociation the resolutions adopted by the
American, that the power of admitting
members to the bar and the supervising
of their professional conduct be lodged
in the highest court Of the state, and
that the examination of candidates bs
referred to q permanent commissior
appointed by the court in order that {
full and systematic knowledge Of ele
mentary law may always be exacted ~
n condition of admissions; also that o
least two years of study shall be re-
quIred Of every student before he pre-
sents himself for admission. The ex-
aiming commission, the preslden
thinks, should he appointed for term
of years. and be 30 adjusted that q par
only should 60 out each year.
The president calls attention to Ger
tain well-known laws which should II
uniform in every state and discusse,
them. These subjects are marriage
aud divorce as the most important, IN
solvency, forms>r notarial certificates
acknowledgement and execution o
deeds, execution and probate oi will
and descent and distribution Of pro
pertv. Some of these subjects have al
ready been more or lese considered.
Uaiformity In Bankruptcy Laws.
| For several years attempts have beer
made 10 induce congress 70 enact uni
form system of bankruptcy. Mich.caf
has reached a point IN age and com
! merciai activity when ii would he
real gamer by the existence OF such {
law. Ii is true that congress ~ lotl
~ put upon the country q systen
which IN the past has proved To be ar
utter failure, but il seems 10 me thai
through the courts OF equity of th'
United States already established snet
law conid be enforced and admins
tered for the benefit Of creditor ant
debtor alike. In addition 10 the wei
settled practice of these courts. :
power ~ discharge in suitable csse
and some regn stsons touching the pro
oedure would alone he needed 20 MAX
such law effective.
des.re ,o brne 10 the attention o
the s.socistion without recommends
ton the matter of The selection of on
Judges ard toe tenure Of tRelr oihces
The judiciary = one of the three gow
ers under ot.f system 81 government
and 20 ttse common mind stands N tn
same rank as the other tee. Ii Is no
tortons. however. that st q the vsske
| OF the thfN< A. a a very largely rn5e