The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1893-04-22
Abolish Justice Courts.

Abolish u uSClce COurtSs
The Plaquemine Protector thinks
as we do about abolishing the Of
fee of justice of the peace. On
this subject our exchange says:
"The Iberville South thinks
that the Office of justice of the
peace should be abolished. As a
rule, There are some exceptions OF
course) justices of the peace are
ignorant and have no knowledge OF
the law. In this parish, we have
known men elected justices of the
peace who were utterly incompe-
tent, and their courts travesties on
justice.
While the uselesness of the
circuit court of appeals is gener-
ally admitted, the justice of the
peace can be dispended with.
A parish court sitting once a
month, with criminal jurisdiction,
In all cases in which the punish
ment is not death or confinement in
the penitentiary would fit the bill.
The psrish Judge should be a man
learned in the law and should
have a fixed salary.
These courts are expensive and
useless Injuries which q few poll
ticians enjoy, at a heavy cost to
the tax PAYERS of the State. Let
them be abolished, by all means"
We have also known of cases
when men were elected justices Of
the peace who had no more knowl.
edge of law than monkey has Of
the gospel; and one of the great
troubles is that so many of the
Justices are, to use plain language
rascals. Justice courts are about
as useless as the circuit court Of
appeals and these parasites on our
body polite, should be eradicated
I-Iberville South.
/ The proposition to dispense witt
both circuit courts and justices Of
the peace, is a double-barrelled one
and as yet we believe our Plaque
mine confreres have the field o.
discussion all to themselves. 1t il
questionable, however, if the pro
position carried into execution
would meet popular favor, or be O
any public benefit The useless
ness of the circuit court of appeals
seems to be generally conceded
but, while we are prepared to ad
NIT the incompetency and igno
rance of the average justice of tn
peace, we must nevertheless con
tend that he is a very useful officer
and can hardly be dispensed with
even if the old system of parisl
judges is revived and substituted
There are many matters of litiga
ton the justice can settle whicl
would overcrowd the parish court
if every trivial thing was allowe'
to he brought up. Even the igno
rance of justice does not destro
his usefulness, which fact is ais
admitted, the LAWYERS declaring the
the less law a justice knows tn
less liable is he to make q mistake
Ignorant men usually have livel
conception of right and wrong, On
in the ordinary affairs of life ca
be relied on to do justice betwee
man and man. The knowledge {
law is by no means necessary r.
quisite for justice, and the rul
is that where magistrates simpl
follow the dictates of common hoI
esty, and pay little or no attentio
to the technicalities of law, the
meet the approval of their neigl
bors, and seldom have their deci
ions set aside by the higher court
So far as the elimination of IL
i circuit courts is concerned, we ha,
I no disclaimer to make, but rath'
doubt the propriety of dispensir
; with our ward magistrates. The
are as essential in the rural di
tricts as are the mayors and recor'
- ers in the cities and towns, and I
one surely is contending that the
is any necessity for massing Il
II business of these latter in one ce