The sun., 1897-01-12
The Poor Mems Courts. ~


New York charter consolidates into one
tribunal, to be known as the "Municiral
Court" the Civil District Courts OF New
York city. thirteen in number. and the
Justices, Courts OF Brooklyn and other
parts OF the territory to be included within
the Greater New York.
The District Courts of New York, some
times called 1.-THE poor mems courts" be-
cause nearly all the ltigants appearing in
them are poor, existed as independent
tribunals as early as 1887 and were then
known as assistant Justices Courts. :"
Throughout the country districts of the
States generally the Justice Of the Peace Is
as familiar local functionary as the Town
Constable, the Roadmaster, or the Pound
keeper He Is sometimes a lawyer, but often
civilian. and may be said to have pri-
mary jurisdiction OF the matters OF local
dispute. the contentious and controversies
OF neighbors, acting frequently as an arbi-
TRAITOR, subject to the rules Of equity rather
than OF law, and conforming his decisions In
many cases to local usages or customs
which have no defined statutory recognition
and may vary in different neighborhoods.
In 1859 onr District Courts were estab-
lished as the lineal successors OF the powers
and prerogatives OF Justices, courts in civil
matters not relating to tho titles of real
estate, in which the money In controversy
was not in excess Of $3.50.
Two classes Of cases furnish the great VOL
ume Of business Of these courts They are
the suits brought by landlords against ten
ants either for the collection OF rent or for
possession OF premises. and suits brought
by workingmen and workingwomen against
their employers Tradesmen, shopkeepers,
and such corporations as gas companies 20
to them for the settlement OF differences
and the collection OF claims by legal proc
ess, with a view to saving time and ex-
pense The plaintiffs are chiefly landlords
and tradesmen, and the defendants house
holders and employers. The proceedings
are largely verbal, and in about one half
the cases the appearance OF n lawyer on
either side is not thought necessary. The
parties to the suit. plaintiffs and defendants,
appear in person, each explaining to the
Judge his or her side of the matter, fire.
gently in some other language than English,
FOR in two Of these courts, at least, most OF
the business is conducted either in German
or In the east side Jewish jargon, and In
one n considerable share OF it is furnished
by Italians or Greeks The Intervention Of
an interpreter is constantly requisite. Under
the law the proceedings in these courts are
" free " to such plaintiffs as take oath that
they are without the means to pay the
established charges. The old saying that
man who argues his own case has fool for
a client, can hardly be said to be applicable
here, more especially where both parties to
the action appear in person.
One economic condition peculiar to New
York city among the large cities Of the
United States adds largely to the volume OF
business in these courts. In the district OF
the city where tenement houses are numer-
GUS there is much larger number OF re-
movals proportionately to the population
than in cities where there are more small |
dwellings. Consequently there are here
more Landlord and tenant" cases |
relatively, amounting to many thousands |
in year. A tenement house is de- |
fined by law as a building occupied as
a residence by three or more families living
and doing their cooking upon |
the premises, or by more than two families
so living upon any floor and cooking but |
having common right in the halls and |
stairways. Two-thirds Of the residents Of
New York city live in what tho law calls
houses, There are 95, 900 dwelling
houses in New York city.
Under the changes proposed by the Greater
New York charter some of the main features
Of these local courts are to be preserved;
others are to be added; u few arc to be
abolished.