The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-12-19
MORE COURTS NEEDED.

One of the duties that will devolve
upon the Legislature will be the ere
alton of more judicial districts. Wheth-
er the increase shall be two or four
will depend upon the ascertained
needs of the counties in every part
of the State. A failure to provide
enough courts to give a speedy hear
ing to all litigants is inexcusable, and
would be anything but economy. We
do not believe, however, in making
any increase except such as is neces-
sary to give every county enough
courts that justice may not be delayed.
1t is to be hoped that every member
of the Legislature, before coming to
Raleigh, will confer with the MEM
bers of the bar, the county commits
sioners, and the clerks of the court
so as to ascertain how many terms of
court are necessary. That is the
only way that reliable information can
be put before the legislators. The
Legislature ought not to create single
new district not required, and it
ought to create as many new ones as
are shown to be necessary. In some
parts of the State the counties have
as many terms of the court as they
wish; in some few, they wish fewer
courts; while i'll others there is a
pressing need for more courts. This
is partially true in Buncombe and
some of the surrounding counties, and
in Forsyth and adjacent counties. 1t
is an easy matter to find out how
many additional terms are required,
and when that is ascertained we have
no doubt that the Legislature will
give the needed additions.
One of the wisest members of the
bar in Asheville, in private letter to
the editor, says:
II want to call your attention to
matter which | belieev deserves great
consideration, and that is, that the
Legislature must do something to re-
lieve the courts in western North-Caro-
lima. The condition of the court
dockets in this county is deplorable,
and something must be done or the
failure of the Legislature to remedy
the trouble will be a denial of justice.
Some of the members of the last
Legislature did not realize the condi-
ton of things in the West, or they
would have agreed to some change in
that direction at that time.
IF YOU will refer to the calen-
dar of courts published in the 10th
North Carolina Report you will find
that the Fourth District, composed of
Wake, Johnston, Wayne and Harnett,
has 20 weeks of court during the en-
tire year, and you will also find that
< the Twelfth District has AZ weeks of
Superior Court and II weeks of Grim
inal Court, making total of SO weeks
per year for the 18th District to 90
weeks in the Fourth District. / am in
formed by communications from the
Clerks of the Superior Courts of the
four counties composing the Fourln
District that there are very few cases
awaiting trial ON both dockets, towit,
the civil and criminal, whereas, in
Buncombe county alone there are now
on the docket awaiting trial on the
civil side about 600 cases, and on the
criminal docket about 1875. We have
not tried n civil case in the Superior
Court in this county, except a few di-
vOrce cases, since last June, and since
that time there have been over 100
cases brought on the summons docket
When court met here in December
there were about ninety prisoners in
Jail, and there was no time to try
any cases except Jail cases, conse-
quently large number of defendants
who were enabled to give bonds were
allowed to submit upon payment of
costs. rather than consume the time
Of the court in investigating the
facts, and many of them, therefore,
escaped fines, which would otherwise
have been a benefit to the county
school fund | have heard it said
within the last few days that there
was quite a sentiment against in
cTeasing the number of Superior
Court judges. | do not care, as far as
/ am concerned, whether there is an
increase in judicial districts or an in
crease in the number of judges, but
what we want is more courts and q
sufficient number of terms of court to
do the business necessary to be trans
acted therein. There are several other
counties in the Twelfth district
which are IN equally as bad condition
when you consider their size AND
population"