The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-06-29
END OF COURT TERMS
SUPERIOR AND CIRCUIT TRIBUNALS
PRACTICALLY CLOSE TO-MORROw.
Large Percentage Of Divorce Cases
Few Cases That Have Grown Out
Of Business Failures.

Tomorrow the June term Of the Superior
and Circuit Courts ends by Limitation of
law, and after that time the only business
that can be transacted in the courts is
such extraordinary remedies as the court
or the judge thereof in vacation is author
lied to give. These remedies are tempo
rary restraining orders, mandates, appoint
ment of receivers and acts of a like char
acter in equity cases, where immediate re-
lief is necessary. The statutes provide for
the number and duration of the terms Of
the courts, and the June term expires on
the last day of June unless that be upon
Sunday. when the term expires the day be-
fore.
The dockets in all the rooms are crowded
and the judges are making extraordinary
efforts to dispose of all the cases possible
before the adjournment for the summer va
cation. Judge Harper, in Room 2, said,
yesterday, that he would probably spend
but a week or two away from the city
during the summer. He did not know yet
where he would go. His wife has just re-
turned from trip in the West. Together
they will spend few weeks away from
the turmoil of the city. Upon his return
he will take up work in chambers and
probably be kept busy at it during the re-
mainder of the vacation. Since the begin
ming of the September term $50 cases have
been disposed of in this room. During that
time there have been a total of S25 new
cases assigned to the room. At the end of
the June term there will be $50 cases stand
ing upon the docket, which is a diminution
of sixty cases over that of last year. From
the beginning of the September term to the
end Of the June term there are two hundred
court days of six hours each. This makes
average of about four cases disposed of
each day during that time. This shows the
average time consumed in disposing of a
case to be one hour and half. As mat
ter Of fact it is about one hour. taking into
consideration delays that are caused from
various reasons and time that is lost by
them.
A fact that has probably escaped the at
tention of even those persons who are
familiar with the character of the litigation
IN the courts is the large per cent. Of 1t
which is divorce cases. An estimate formed
upon a partial examination of the docket
In Room shows that about 10 per cent.
of all the cases disposed of in that court
ing of the character of the litigation in his
court, said yesterday that hardly a case
had grown out of business failure. 1t
mostly such litigation as grows out Of ord
Only once has there been special judge
appointed to try case in the court. This
qualified from sitting on account of the
nature of the controversy. 1t was in the
trial of the Myers Bennett receivership case
the jurisdiction of the Circuit and Superior
Courts
Judge Winters, of Room /, says he will
probably not leave the city during the
summer vacation In speaking of it, yes
terday. he said there would be enough WORK
for the court in chambers upon the Iron
Hall case to keep him busy during the
entire vacation, which consumes the months
of July and August. The trial of this case
in the court took two months, and. since
then there has hardly day passed that
there was not something for the court to
DO in the case. During the vacation Judge
members and decide whether they be en-
titled to preferment in the distribution of
the assets and entitled to receive the full
err they be entitled merely to a
pro rata dividend. In this room $50
ginning of the September term. AT that
time there were 400 cases upon the docker;
since then 200 new cases have been as
signed to the room, making a total of 1, 100
cases that have appeared upon the docket
during that time. Taking into consdera-
there has been an average of five cases
disposed of each day in this room Judge
Winters estimated that about l21s per cent.
of these were divorce cases. He says the
docket in his room will be practically
cleared of divorce cases now pending by
other rooms the litigation has been Of
about the same character. Some classes
of cases must be brought in the Circuit
Court. These, added to those that are filed
there by preferment Of attorneys or CHI
ents, make the litigation in that court
somewhat heavier than in the Superior
Court rooms, but all of them seem to De
crowded.
There is no statutory vacation time In
the Criminal Court In this court there
are but two terms-the January term, which
begins on the first day of that month and
ends with June, and the July term, begin
ending with the year. The July term be-
gins next Monday, and the first case taken
up will be the Fulford forgery case. Judge
Cox says he will probably take a week or
two vacation during the hot summer days.
He will not take his vacation till about
August. He has not yet decided where ne
mill IL