Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-12-06
OUR COURT CLERKS.
SECOND ANNUAL CONVENTION OF
LEGAL DOCUMENT RECORDERS.
A Permanent Organization EfFecsed-The
Question OF Fees and Theis
Collection.

re.-~--~~-----~-~
The virginia Court clerks Convention
commenced rs second annual session IN
The nssembly-room Of the Chamber OF
Commerce yesterday at noon.
There were present: s. @. Winsheao'
t.ynchburg; 1. s. walker. shenaneoah'
%. II. Lee Martz, Rockingham; William
xas Ne,son: w. u. Coons, Culpeper;
8 q cogK,n ana John r. wi'hers, Camp
ns,l. robert GILLIAN. Petersburg; Marcus
cogb,lL Chesterfield; John Al. Specie.
seofor,: Charles w. Goddin. Richmond;
4 r. wsddili. Henrico; $. y. Chapman,
gloucester: Montcslm Oldham, Jr., Ac-
,ou,ae. nichard w. Duke. Albemarie; J.
". Elliott, Floyd; A. r. Bartenstein.
Fauquier; l.. p. Hargrove. Sussex;
GEORGE s. stevens. Nelson; Il. l.. Turner.
Sreencsyillc: II. u. Buford. Greenesville.
In the absence of the president. Mr..
John c. Ronde OF Rockbridge. the con-
ven,Ion was called to order by the sec
rotary, Mr.. e. 1. Turner. Of Greenesviile'
and on his motion Mr.. George $. Stevens
of Nelson. was called to the chair.
THE PRESIDENT SICK.
The secretary read n letter from Presi-
dent Ronde regretting his inaDlhV M IN
account OF sickness 10 be pfestnS 49,
Chair appointed a conli rissirg The re-
grets OF the convention AT uie "'S
OF Mr. Bonde. .,..on. no.
The reports OF standing commls,ees pc 1
ing called for. Mt, ROPER, ne ucn,mInlttee
onrolnted AZ the last session 10 take nv nv
conslderation the codifcation OF ciehhs
fees and recommend some pan ,tn hnl
would ensure the collection OF zee DIS =.
renort.d that he had not been able 70
cot a meeting OF the committee, Dus
jntimated that if the committee eou 10
be gotten together ero6r f sepsSion ii''s"' "
ANOTHER COMMITTEE NOT READY.
Mr. n. ID. Buford, OF Bedford. from
+b1 comulttee on Constitution ana ny.
laws. stated that his committee han
prepared no report. il had been tnougnt
beet 10 await this session OF the conVeh-
ton and see whether the court clerks OF
y5reinia were in earnest in respect OF
forming q permanent Organlzatoh. n, ~
had been thought advisable 70 vsa' ~, ~
ouestion whether the clerks desired 70
form an organization that would Denent
them and benefit the people anu wnaIe
not debating TO the Legislature, seCuiae
jegislation to these ends. His comnhl-
Tee mad not received a single suggestion
from a member OF the convention re-
rarrling the work It was appointed 70
do. They asked indulgence unuI tne
next session, and he gave notce ulat
they desired suggestions from the CLERKS
throughout the State.
NOW THE TIME.
Mr.. Gillian said there seemed to be
no business before the convention eA-
cept the question OF the two committees
making reports. He did not see why
these committees could not get together
and report at the afternoon session.
Mr.. Buford said he was, OF course,
willing TO abide by the decision OF the
Convention. and then spoke at some
length regarding the lack OF uniformity
I'm the fee bills Of the court clerks
throughout the state; BefoTe tne Wa
entire uniformity existed. He wanted
a system adopted that would relieve
clerks Of the imputation of charging 700
much. He had seen clerks DIS that
were too high. This was not due 70 Ihe
fact that the clerks intended TO DO any
thing wrong. IL was due to ignorance.
MIR. Charles w. Goddin, clerk OF the
Chancery Court of Richmond, was SUD-
stltuted on the commlttee on RODS Sonstit Of
. Roanoke, who was absent. -
The two committees were then IN
structed to report at $3.50 L. NJ, ana the
convention took a recess until that houI'
Afternoon Session.
The convention reassembled at S:SO +.
NJ. MIR. Stevens In the chair, Among
me visitors was Auditor-of-Public-Ac-
counts Colonel Morton Marye.
The Committee on Constitution ana by
Laws submitted their report, when was
fully discussed and adopted. The constltu-
tion perfects a permanent organization
under the name of THE Association OF
the Clerks OF Courts of Virginia"
The officers are to consist OF president,
two vice-presidents and a secretary ana
treasurer, and an executive committee Oh
five members All the clerks OF all the
courts OF record In the state ana their
deputies will be eligible 10 membershlp
upon the payment or the inluauon-Iee OF
H. and the annual dues viii be 81.
The annual meetings viii take place
on the first Tuesday in December OF each
year. ..,a.,.o
On hand of Sl5.23.
NO LEGISLATION NEEDED.
The Committee on Codihcation OF Fees
and a Plan TO Secure the COLLECTION OF
Fee Bills made u report, in which they
lay:
/. That in their opinion nearly all fees
10 which clerks are entitled, being em-
braced I'm the tariff OF fees to be tound IN
chapter l72 of the Code of Virginia, pro
porfiOnally small number being found IN
which the compensation Is allowed, they
think II ineXpedient at this time 20 ask
the Legislature for any codihcauOn OF
these fees. which would make u nee ,'s.a,
10 change the provisions OF said chapter
2. AS TO securing the collections OF ices,
we recommend that the Legislature be
mennorialized TO pass a bill emDouyinB
the following provisions:
That upOn affidavit being made by any
officer Of a court that he has reason 10
believe that he will be unable TO collect
his fees in any civil case. matter, or pro-
Feeding In the manner now provided Dy
law, he shall not be required TO perform
any service In relation thereto until DIS
fees are satisfactorily secured 20 MN.
Provided. however, that the judge or the
court shall have the power TO direct such
officer 10 perform said service without
having his fees secured him as aforesaid
VIEWS OF THE MEMBERS.
Mr.. Goggin, Of Campbell, moved &c
PASS the matter by and appoint commit
~ 10 ascertain from the several clerks
what they were in the habit OF charging
for and how much. There was, he SAID
4 great difference in the fee bills OF clerks
Df the various courts.
Mr.. Gillian said he had in MS hanu
some seventy-flve letters from clerks, gay.
ing a schedule OF their fee-bills, ana u
was surprising how little they differed
he made a very clear statement OF tht
reasons that Influenced the committee II
recommending that there should be nc
codificatiOn at present
Pending a substitute for the second sec
ton OF the report offered by Mr.. Specie
the convention adjourned until $3.50 oclocb
this morning.