BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1901-12-30
SAN JUAN, DECEMBER 80
The Report of the Code
Commission.
A Penal Code, Code Of Criminal
Procedure, A Political Code and
A Revision Of the Civil Code
To Be Submitted To the
Legislative Assembly.

mission, appointed by ex Governor Allen in
April Ct this year, is practically concluded
ALL that remains to be done is the compile
tion of the printing. Unless something
unforeseen accurs printed copies OF the report
of the Commission will be on the desk of each
member of the Assembly on the fist day
Of the session.
By the terms of its appointment the Com
mission is required to make report in both
Spanish and Eaglish. The completed re
port will therefore consist of four volumes
OF code text 10 Eugl 81 and four vo unes in
Spanish to, o her with ]: Introductory vol
ume coma ming the commentary on the pro
posed revision
Volume of the report contains revi
sion OF the OWL Code. This code is the
most advanced Of the Spanish system and
requires less revision than the Penal Code.
Tee most important changes have been
made 10 the chapters relating TO testate and
intestate succession, the rules governing
marriage and diverse, and the status of ma
tural children. La both cases, the vie has
been assured a larger share Of the estate in
both testate and intestale Succession and in
succession by will the freed N OF the iestsior
has been broadezed. The second important
change is the abolition of the family council
which, imported FROM France, has never
taken root in Porto REQ. The sections re
lating to marriage and divorce have been
adopted to the ru.es prevailing in the United
Sta es. The other changes that have been
made were, in the main, dictated by ths
necess ty OF adjusting the code to the new
status Of the Island.
The Political Code constitutes Volume
III of the report, and contains TIE material
which, under the Spanish system, was scat
tered through q series OF special laws 1t
may be said to codify tbe public and admin
istrativs law OF Porto kico. LIS scope is
best described by an enumeration of the fif-
teen titles of wh,ch it is composed These
are as follows: Title l, Jurisdiction over
persons and p-operts; Title Ii, Citizenship
and dOmc :; Title LII, The political end
Judicial divisions of Porto Rice; Title lV
Tne legislative ASSEMBLY; Title V, e eecu
I've offcer; Title vi, Judicial officer;
Title VII, General provisions relating TO
different classes Of officer; Ttle VIII,
Nominations for ipsuIar snd local Officers;
Title TX, Elections; rIrle x L zeal govern
msnl; Title XII Public safety ard polio |;
Title XII. Eiucatioo T.tl AIII, High
ways and Roads; Title XIV, Revenue and
Taxation; and TltIe XIV, MiscrIlanou
provisions. Ia and appendix is contained
= civil service law submitted as a minority
report; the m Unity of the Commission
being Of op nion that It's enforcement should
be postponed un-iI he administrative 8, stem
Of the Island il fully organized Much Of
the legislation q the fiMt session of lhe
Legislative Assembly related 10 su j c's
covered by this cose d mcsi of The laws
then enacted are ih re.ere incorporated
therein.
The Penal Code and Ccde Of Grim pa
Procedure constitutes Volumes III aud w
Of the report. The changes in The Penal
Code and especially IN the Ocde OF Ur'm:usl
Procedure, are OF far-rraching importance.
Is is generally agreed hat tbs Spanish
penal legislation Is the least modern Of the
various branches oil the system of law now
Ia force. Since the ensc ment Of this code
in 1879, criminal jurisp sudrnce has made
great strides. The existing Penal Code sEc
Code Of Criminal Procedure contain DO in
dications Of this progress In iks proposed
Penal Ccde the most important change thar
las been made is to give to the courts a
wider discretion in the il q cling Of penalties
ooA ~ 4oNN . w tfeCAAt buC tUtt opttCoi0 n+h VI
the mitigating and sggravatIDg circuin,
stances The proposed system # Or minal
Procedure conforms closely to the system OF
the most advanced States Of the Union.
One Of the most important results to BE-
expected from the adoption OF The proposed
90 les is the placing OF the system of Law of
lhe Island on clear and defuite basis. Al,
present the ex xstence Of great mass Of
military orders smendatory Of the codes and
uncertainty ss to whether certain Spanish
lans are still in force have introduced an ele-
meut Of instability into tho system Of law,
which It Is important to eliminate Upder
tie proposed system no further uncertainty
as to the status Of iks Law can exist.
The limited time at The disposal Of the
Commission made il impossible to undertake
the revision Of the Code Of Civil procedure
Nor have such special laws IS tbs Mortgage
and Notarisl lava been touched- IfssI
ihTee lems are 80 cioeely related 10 one
another that the revision oi one involves the
revision Of The others
IN the report. ss submitted, tbs mos
pressing Reforms ia fke legal system baYe
been propo1sd, end itia pfobabls that al|
l1e 1he1sKe1 that can, via .Aie&I be 1fo1oa
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