The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-02-23

Total ........... ........ .....-....... 81 $50
Under the item of miscellaneous expenses
are included she estimated per diem of the
special judges, as we'll as such jury fees and
witness fees made chargeable to the
county, and judging from past experience the
estimate made is sufficiently liberal to cover
all of these expenses. Under the present law
no provision whatever is made for the pay,
ment of either jury fees or witness fees in
state cases This is manifestly unjust, and
by the proposed law it is provided that where
the state is party such fees shall be paid
substantially in the district court.
While the official stenographer is dispensed
with, the court is authorized in preliminary
hearings and other state cases to appoint a
competent stenographer at a per diem COM
pensation of S., and the same fees for max
ing transcripts of the proceedings and evil
dence now charged in the district court
the cost Of such transcripts to be paid by the
parties requiring them.
The new court will not have any civil
jurisdiction but it1 cricminal jurisdiction will
be co-extensve with the limits of Ramsey
county and embrace all preliminary examina-
tons of persons accused Of crime and all Of
lenses cognizab.e under the general laws of
the state, before a justice of the peace as
we'll as those arising under the charter, ordi-
nances laws regulations or bylaws of the
city of st. Paul.
1t is provided that one of the judges OF
the district court to be designated for that
purpose by the senior judge of said court
shall, on the last Saturday of each month
meet the judge of the municipal court at the
municipal court and select from the
qualified electors of Ramsey county forty
eight OF said electors to serve as jurors in
the municipal court during the succeeding
month. The names of such persons are placed
in the jury box or wheel and when jury
is required in any case the clerk draws
twentyfour names, in the same manner as
in the district court, ard from the names
SO drawn jury is selected and sworn.
Appeals are to be taken to the district
court, instead OF to the supreme court. as
under the present law. AS the district court
holds monthly terms, criminal appeals can be
disposed Of under this pan more speedily and
at much less expense IAN they now are.
All of the other details of procedure are
carefully worked out under the proposed law,
which contains some forty odd sections. and
is too long to be printed in full. The above
statement, however, obtained from Robertson
Howard, who prepared the bin, VIII give an
idea of the main changes it is proposed to
make in the law governing our munich
pal court.
The proposed law. if passed, will go into
effect Immediately but each of the present
judges of the municipal court will be con-
tinued as judge of the new court until the
next city election, at salary of s., 400 year,
and will hold court every alternate month
The clerk and deputy clerk also hold over.
but at reduced salaries The expenses of the
court will thus be s1,S00 more than above
statement during the next year, but still ST. coo
less than at present.
The expenses of the present municipal court
of st. Paul are nearly $4,000 more than those
Of the municipal court of Minneapolis, and
more than twice as great as those of the Du-
luth court, which has jurisdiction over three
counties. The civil cases which are now
tried In the municipal court, II the proposed
change is made, will have to be disposed of in
the district court and by the justices of the
be taken to the district court Taxpayer
St. Paul, Feb q, 1899.