The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-07-12

Provisions Of The New CuAc In This
Respect Prove Unsatisfactory t.
the Legal I'rnteruity-Nn Iucr=rxc
ira the NurnI,c7 Of Petitions Filed.
Since it has become known that 1t j.
the intention of the members Of the Dis
trict bar to petition Congress at its next
session to amend the code Of laws foT the
government of the District. i'll reference
to the law of divorce. it Is expected that
there viii not D. so many suits for di-
vorce flied during the next six months as
there were during the haIf-year just
closed
Since the adoption of the new code OF
laws for the government OF the District
on March last. when the grounds for
divorce were greatly decreased the num-
Der Of petitions for divorce has greatly
exceeded that filed during a correspond
ing period during the previous years. A
reference to the records in the Equity
branches of the Supreme Court of the
District shows that from March 6. 1870 10
JaIy 6. of the same year, III petitions for
divorce and separate support We're placed
on record. During the four months. fTem
March S. to July ., 1901, III similar suits
were fled showing an increase of 50 in
four months or at the rate OF 80 during
year
When the new code was adopted in
March last. it was stated that its proTis-
ions would not go into effect until Janu-
ary /. 1902. so it would appear that many
of those who considered the question OF
severins their marital ties took advan-
tage Of the opportunities the old law al
lowed for securing legal separation The
decision of thsf members of the local bar
to ask that ne law he restored to its OLD
status will no doubt result in falling
off Of the number Of petitions for d.
NOTCe.
According to the terms Of the CODE
adouted in March last divorce could Dc
Granted in the District practically on
statutory grounds only, and in such cases
II vas provided that only the innocent
marty could marry ..Eain- The divorced
T,4rrfes. however could rernarry- d.
yorc. could also he granted where it was
discovered that either Of the parties had
q wife or husband living, unless such
marriage had been legally dissolved, or
where either party was not Of legal age
or was otherwise incapacitated 70 enter
into a marriage contract The new code
also restricted the granting Of divorce to
a petitioner who is an actual resident OF
the District
The proposed amendment 10 the colS
in reference TO the divorce law, however,
II adopted, greatly increases the legal
grounds for divorce. AmoHs the grounds
enumerated upon which a legal separa-
ton viii be allowed are inhdelity, cruel
ty- treatment enda lgerng the health and
life Of the petitioner, desertion for a pc
Rod of two years, and habitual drunken
ness for a period Of three years. 4 di-
vorce from bed and board may be grant
ed, according to the terms of the pro
posed amendment for cruelty and a rea-
sonabIe apprehension Of bodily harm
from the other party
II viii readily be seen from an insDeC-
ton of the terms Of the sections of the
code adopted in March last and those of
the proposed amendment that the latter
allows greater opportunities for the Sc
curing Of divorce There IS hardly any
doubt that the amendment suggested
viii be substituted for the law as ii now
appears in the new code, as it is favored
by a large majority Of the members Of
the local bar