The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-03-29
FOR UNIFORM LAWS
Ex-Judge Frank Fort Tells
of the Work His Commits
sion Will Take Up.
CONFLICTING STATUTES IN 7HE STATES
Their Reconciliation Would Be Of
Great Advantage to the Bar
and to Litigants.
CONFLICTING STATUTES IN THE staff

%frtftt ~ tfo q Z LUZ 1ESUH.
TRENTON. March %. 1s95.-Goyernor
Werts recently appointed j. Frank Fort
of Newark. Frank Bergen of Elizabeth
and Joseph D. Bedle of Jersey City. as
a commission TO examine into the various
and divergent laws on divorce, insur-
ance and bankruptcy. In an interview
en- the work of the Commission. J. Frank
Fort said
Yes. l was appointed by the Governor
and confirmed by the Senate as a mem
Der of the commission styled in Assembly
bill No. 257, Commissioners for the pro-
motion and uniformity of legislation IN
the United States
Il have been advised that similar com
missioners nave been appointed from
thirteen States of the Union. They all
have been appointed for a term not ex-
ceeding hve years.
"The plan is, as 1 understand it, to call
these commissions together at some CEN
trail point and to hold a convention, the
object and purposes of which is stated in
the law passed by the different States to
be to xamine the laws of the State re-
lating to the subjects of marriage and d.
vorce, insolvency. insurance. the form of
notarial certificates. and other like sup-
jects, and to ascertain the best means of
effecting a uniformity of the laws of the
several States in relation to these Ques-
tons.
There is nc doubt about the fact that
uniformity in the several States in these
matters would be of great advantage to
the bar and to litigants, and to the public
generally.
1.-THE divorce laws are different in DIFF
f.,o,4 C4.So- na1-2 n.y., Val for g.,
stance. In New York. IN case of divorce.
it is Illegal for the guilty party-that is.
the party against whom the divorce goes
Ito remarry, and it is held that if that
party comes over into New Jersey anc
marries, the marriage is legal, because By
our laws there is no such provision. lis
this State the common Law rule prevails.
which. after a divorce5 permits either par-
ty to marry.
"The matter of the insolvency laws
covers assignments by debtors for the
benefit of their creditors, and this in
of the t diffefent States sns n There are ae ais
most as many Emergencies in the diff
ferent insolvency, assignment and home
stead e9t acts q in5 as theTe are to s sJHte wba4 eyect
under the State law an assignment will
have now upon a creditor in another
State. Our own assignment act is very
debtor and creditor. Unless a creditor
proves his claim with the assignee it
practically is worthless SO far as dis
charging the debtor is concerned: some
of the homestead laws allow an exemp-
ton of 1000, some less, and some more.
The insurance laws of the several
States are especially divergent; a uni
formity in these is greatly to be desired.
There is no reason why more exacting
provisions should not apply to insurance
New York, or that Pennsylvania Should
give advantages to corporations of this
character which New York or Massachu-
sets or New Jersey do not. All policies
or ccrefscrtn ~ ~nefhois Ct texatien and
generally such things az can be properly
y t es-s,atson e.a re-4t4on 10
regulated ina uniform way, so that each
300. no-u.Ag :. poiley woald know Juss
what it's relationship was to the several
States in which II was admitted to do
CERTIFICATES on AFFIDAvITs.
1.-THE rule with relation to certificates
for the acknowledgment Of deeds and
other like c-onveyances, differs very much
in the various States. Some system
prevent possible defects in titles to land
or in afddayits for use in courts and
similar proceedings.
1T would seem as if there should be
no difficulty in bringing about through
such a convention harmony in the stat
utes of the different States on this sub-
ject. # SO, it viii greatly facilitate and
and the law applicable to all questions
Of that character which may arise.
II am not advised as to when or where
that the law under which we were APP
pointed calls upon us to consider wheth-
er it will be wise and practicable for the
State of New Jersey to invite the other
States of the Union to send representa-
tives to a convention to draft uniform
laws to be submitted for the approval
the subjects to which l have above re-
ferred.
IN one of these subjects, that of insur-
ance, so far as it relates to fraternal in
surance and the uniformity of the laws
of the different States on his subject
| have for a long time taken considerable
through State legislation as to the fra
ternal societies conducted on the lodge
plan with an Incidental insurance feature,
much Uniformity Of legislation, but OF
with another on this subject. 1t was
my anxiety in this direction as well as
in any other which led me to be will
ing to serve on this commission. My
appointment was IN entirely personal
one on the part of the Governor, no one
having suggested to him my name at
all, and he very kindly having offered to
appoint me on the commission, which I
desire thus publicly to acknowledge with
appreciation of his act.
THE commission, unfortunately, are to
serve without compen sation, and the
work hic seems to be iaid out for them
if attempted. is to my mind, of great
magnitude, but I resume some one must
do some matters of public necessity and
duty r am willing to do my share.
I'm my commission, I find my New Jer-
sey associates are gentlemen whom | am
very glad to be ~with-Frank Bergen of
Elizabeth, who was a member of my
class at the time of our admission to
the bar. and Joseph D. Bedle of Jersey
civ. son of Ex-Governor Bedle, who IS
one of the younger and stronger MEM
bers of the bar of this State.
.sThere has been no conference with
any one, and just what proceedings will
be taken and when. at the present time
/ cannot state, but if the plan proposed
is carried out, every lawyer in the State
the facts, will be impressed with the be-
lief that it cannot but result in great
good"