The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1900-11-24

the United States. and particularly In !
oceau or river cities where there is a
large amount Of shipping and general
business is there less than tEo courts |
corresponding TO the circuit courts OF
this island TO transact tie legal bust
noes More often there are three such
courts. In Los Angeles county and
e5tx California. in 1sss. they found the
three superior courts so overwhelmed
xi.b work that the legislature OF 1889
vas asked to and did increase the num-
her to FIVE. and yet at that time the
pouulat5on Of the city was only little
over 50 600. and of the entire county
lol 600 inhabitants
Here In Honolulu we find one circuit
court and only one Judge attempting
to transact the work that should not
be attempted by less than two courts,
and to insure speedy trials, as the law
contemplates. should have three cir
cui, courts with the corresponding
number Of judges
For some time before the territorial
government was organized many mat
tiers had been allowed to pass along in
the circuit courts without adjudication,
while all during the plague time moth
ing whatever was done by either of the
two circuit judges then on the bench.
thus permitting cases to accumulate
until the calendar was unduly congest-
ed. when Judges Humphreys and Sill
man were appointed there were near
w three hundred cases on the calen-
dar. a number that in the ordinary
course of legal business would take
three judges at least a year to clear OF
the calendar. even if no new suits Were
fled.
Judge SilIiman found he could not in
Justice TO himself continue in the Of
fee for the salary paid. and soon re-
signed. leaving but one Judge on the
bench. All this time new suits have
constantly been added TO the list uncil
now there are considerably over three
hundred cases on the calendar and
but one Judge holding court. Judge
| Humphreys has been very active in
keeping up the work of his court and
has been universally praised by the
bar for his dispatch of business. but
neither he nor any other man can keep
up with the growth of legal battles
constantly coming up for adjudication
At the present time an important case
| is on trial which has been before the
court for week and will run at least
another week. from present appear
ances. before it will be finished. In or
der to hurry up the work the court
has begun the holding of night ses'
sions. but neither the judge nor attor-
neys can keep up this pace.
The condition of affairs here is seri
Gus. So serious that the matter should
be at once laid before the President
and the Attorney General for immedi
ate action. The Republican believes
,.lat IL would be the part of wisdom
for the bar association as a body to
present the subject in strong terms TO
Attorney General Griggs calling his
attention to the congested calendar
here and to the utter inability of one
Judge to handle so much work as is
before the circuit court Of the First
circuit.
We also believe 1t would be wise for
the bar association to lay before the
Attorney General the need of amending
the Organic Act by providing for three
Judges for the First circuit Of Hawaii
and the same should be pressed to the
attention of the judiciary committees
of the house and senate. Every one
realizes that something ought to be
done promptly to relieve the present
condition of affairs, and who else can
so we'll call the attention of the Presi-
| dent and Attorney General to the mat
ter as the Bar Association of Honolulu