The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-12-19

Philadelphia, Dec. 1S.-A most impor-
tant meeting has been called by the
joint committees on rules and legal
education of the Pennsylvania BalVas-
ISOLATION. 1t will be a convention or
gathering of the judges of every coun-
ty in the state, the first ever called
together In the history of the common
wealth. The convention will meet in
Philadelphia during the last week of
this month, and there will be assembled
there in one body, perhaps the great
est gathering of legal minds in the his
tory of the state.
The object of this convention Is two
fold and its Importance to the manu-
featuring and financial intereNs of the
state and all others whose business
brings them frequently into the civil
and criminal courts, can be imagined
when 1t Is stated that the body will
consider the expediency and the feasi
bility of attaining uniformity in the
rules of court throughout the common
wealth, and to take steps towards put
ting into practical operation the uni
form system of legal education in
dorsed by the Bar association and out
lined in the report of the committee
in the second volume of the reports OF
the Pennsylvania Bar association. A
copy of this volume has been sent to
every judge and member of the asso-
ciation throughout the state.
SAD LACK OF UNIFORMITY.
1t Is a well known fact that Pennsyl-
vania, of all the states in the union, has
different system of rules for court
practices in every county, which mixes
matters up when an attorney from one
county goes to another to try case,
and often results In the loss OF large
sums of money in civil actions. The
great differences in the rules Of these
courts We're brought up at the last
meeting of the Bar association, held
at Bedford Springs. and in report
made to the association, a comparison
of the rules of the courts in various
counties was made by Alexander
Simpson, jr., and the report covered
several large volumes, showing the alb
surdity of this phase of affairs.
Since the meeting the committee on
rules of court and the committee on
legal education got together. The
rules for legal education are just as
varied in the different counties as the
rules of court. Theee committees de-
cided to call tiis great meeting of
ties. 1t will be finally decided what
rules will be made universal in the
state and what the course of study for
students and those applying for admis-
sion to the bar will be. A state board
will probably be recommended and ev-
cry student in the state required to
pass that body. which will give him
the right to practice in every county.
Likewise all attorneys will be given
the privilege of practicing in all coun-
ties. This alone will affect at least
10000 students and practicing attor-
neys.
The convention will assemble on
Tuesday. Dec. 90. at 1890 a. m. in his
toric Congress hall. Sixth and Chestnut
streets. A brief address of welcome
will be made by the chief justice of
Pennsylvania, and by a representative
of the Philadelphia judiciary. The
morning session will be occupied with
the matter of the rules of court. At l
o'clock dinner will be rendered by
members of the Philadelphia bar to the
visiting judges and to the representa-
tives of the board Of examiners.
This city will send its five judges,
Willard. Smith, Archibald, Gunster and
Edwards. and one or more members
of the local examining board. Attor-
neys Newcomb, O'Brien and Zimmer-
man.