Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-12-06
The Pny Of Clrcuit Jmdgcs

| TO the Editor OF the Dispatch:
The attention OF the public ana OF
the incoming Legislature is called 10 lne
third subdivision of section 10 OF tho
| Code OF 1887. fixing the salaries OF CIT
cult judges
THE Judges OF circuit courts. inc ioi-
| lowing sums: The Judge OF the SeVeh,n
| Circuit the sum of two thousann 'nt..
hundred dollars: the Judge or the 1"eiI' III
Circuit. eighteen hundred doliais' VI"
Judge OF the Thirteenth Circuit. nineteen
hundred dollars: and the judges Of the
other circuits. each the sum OF one hou-
sand six hundred dollars"
In this writer's opinion. the salaries
of tho circuit Judges should b. not less
! than 5000; and. further no matter what
the salaries discrimination IN 'he
amount paid officers OF equal dignity anu
responsibility appears TO be unjust ne
writer knows personally the Judges OF 'he
seventh and Thirteenth circuits, and APP
preciates their worth as men and of1clais'
hut this does not preclude him from
insisting that the distinction In salaries
should be done away with. The saia-
ries of Judges cannot be decreased during
their tenure of office. and no decrease Is
necessary. but the salaries of all the CIT
emit Judges can be fixed at goo, ana at
the expiration Of the term OF Judge we'll
ford. OF the Seventh Circuit the decrease
in the salary for that circuit can take
effect: and. the amount TO which, under
section 1856. the city Council may in
crease the salary of the Judge OF the
Seventh Circuit to be paid out OF the
CIV Treasury. may be changed so as
to permit the city to make the salary AT
least what it now Is.
IL is not the writer's wish TO discuss
the question Of the labor or extent OF
business of the several circuits. but IL
can be said that. taking into considera-
ton all the circumstances. no great dis
parity exists as to the burden placed upon
the different circuit judges
This article is intended TO call at
tention to what the writer believes an In
Justice in the hope that discussion OF
the matter may bring about a change by
tho legislature A LAWYER.
would permit it to be done, we
should like to see the salaries Of the
circuit judges restored to 5000 per
annum-that is, that no judge
should receive less than that sum-
But the Legislature has long recognized
the fact that judge who resides in Rich
mond is subjected TO greater expense than
other judges are. Hence the resident
Judge of the Supreme Court Of Appeals
receives 1900 extra hence. Judge Well
ford receives from the State few hun
dred dollars extra. Instead of diminish
ing this allowance, il should be increased
If the salaries of other judges are TO
be increased. But in no event could the
salary Of the Judge OF the Circuit
Court of Richmond and Henrico be de-
creased until January 1. 1895.
The Dspatch would very much Ike TO
see our circuit judges better paid, but
would not favor legislation looking to
reduction of the salary Of the Richmond
Circuit Nor do we think that it would
be fair for the State to make ii neces-
sary for the city Of Richmond to supple
ment any further than II does the salary
of our Circuit Judge. As we have said,
Judge Wexford could have no interest
i'm this matter until 1913; so we are con-
sidering the question with reference 10
the office: not with reference to the pres
ent incumbent.