Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-02-09
THE STATE BAR
Holds Annual Meeting and
Banquet in Augusta.
Pres. LittlefeId's Annual Address on
Reform in Legal Procedure"
An Unusually Pleasant Tine at the Banque,
in the Evening.

Maine State Bar Association was held
in the hall Of representatives. Wednes-
day forenoon, and was called to order
Immediately after the adjournment OF
that body by Hon. Chas. f. Littlefield
of Rockland. president of the associa-
ton. Secretary l.. c. Cornish Of Au-
gusta, submitted his report showing a
membership of 31S, the largest in the
history of the association.
President Littlefield delivered the an
nual address, the subject being: Reform
in Legal Procedure so as to Avoid I'm
necessary Delay in Litigation" Judg-
ed from legal point of view it was in
tensely interesting, and was listened to
! with close attention throughout. Ii
| was full of suggestions in accordance
with the subject. Among them being
the Inauguration of reform in pro-
| cedure for the purpose of speedily dis
patching business of the counts; the en-
actment of a statute requiring a plain
tiff, within five years after date of enter
ing action. if he desires trial by jury.
to file a claim for a jury trial. deposit
a nominal fee of % cents or $l.00; or If
a defendant wishes a jury trial, requir
ing him to file similar claim within
five days of entering his appearance,
and depositing Herewith a similar fee:
that all suits should be made return
at fixed intervals. as often as once or
twice a month, with provision pro-
viding for service by requiring defen-
dants to enter their appearance on such
return days on pain of default, and If
no such appearance is entered, author
izing the clerk to note the default;
that a change should be made in the
method of procedure in the law court
whereby instead of having three ses-
sions of the court in quick succession,
each Of limited period. and then lapse
of whole year, two sessions should be
neld for the whole State each year, at
nearly equal intervals: that the law
court sessions should be conducted as
are those of the supreme court of the
United States, viz: Begin at II and
continue with a short recess for lunch
until 4 O'Clock. In closing his address
Mr. Littlefield offered some timely sug-
gestions to the association as an or
ganiZation.
At the close of the address the asso-
citation discussed the proposed bill for
uniform system of examination for
admission to the bar The section re-
during preliminary examination before
entering upon study was warmly de-
bated, and finally it was voted to rec
ommend to the judiciary committee the
passage of the bill as amended by
striking out that provision. President
Littlefield, Attorney General Haines of
Waterville, and Wallace H. White of
Lewiston. were appointed a committee
to present the matter to the judiciary
committee.
The president and secretary were di-
rected to appoint committee to draft
bill along the line suggested by the
president in his address, and to report
the same at the next annual meeting
of the association.
Senator Weeks of Fairfield. and
Messrs. Herrick of Bethel and Heselton
of Gardiner were appointed a commit
tee to nominate list of officers for the
ensuing year, and upon their recon-
mendation the following were elected:
| President. Wallace II. White. Lewis
ton; vice presidents, Fl. e. Hamiln'
Ellsworth: F. A. Powers, Houlton; J. C..
Holman, Pennington; secy. and treas,
Leslie c. Cornish. Augusta. Executive
committee. C. F. Woodland, Bangor;
w. T. Haines, Waterville; F. f.. Tim
berlake. Phillips: Clarence Hale, Port
! land: A. S. Kimball. Norway.
The assignment of the place lof