New-York tribune., 1901-07-24
SESSION LAWS DELAYED.
LAWYERS COMPLAINING OF ALLEGED
LAXITY OF THE STATE PRINTER

An unusually large number Of complaints have
been heard recently among the lawyers practising
in New-York courts to the dilatory methods In
vogue at the Office of the State Printer at Albany
james B. Lyon. Of No 10 Beaver-st.. Albany, the
State printer advertfses give the official reports
.of all cases adiudged in all courts Of record.
and the session laws of the State Of New
York in advance form and IN permanent
volumes. These advance Sheets for which a
eubscrfpfson price OF ss5 a year is charged,
give the identical paging OF the official reports OF
the Court Of Appeals the Supreme Court and mis-
lcelaneous courts. and are issued in accordance
with the of the legislature. The reports are
asupposed to be sent out and bound at regular in
sservals So it is with the session laws but be-
.cause the latter are far behind in making their
appearance lawyers have lost their patience and
are inquiring OF the publishers of law books why
rfis valuable advance information is denied them.
Considerably less than one-half OF the session
laws OF the last year have been placed IN the
hsnds OF the lawyers who have subscribed for
them. The legislature adjourned on April g. On
May % the legal time in which the Governor could
pass upon these bills expired. and the list of the
years laws complete and ready for the State
Printer Three weeks later according to local pub
llishers all session laws should have been in the
possession of the lawyers in the form of the advance
lsheets.
AS IL is now, complain the lawyers only a little
more than one-third Of the session have been
published, when they should have been ready be-
fore June Is.
The session laws are published at intervals OF
About two months after they are passed. and never
are ali printed in the advanced parts. The law
Istates that the publisher may cause to be issued
advance parts of the session laws and law reports
at q cost not exceeding 80 cents single number
rbut does say that these shall be published 1t
IS likely. therefore. that The State Printer takes
advantage of this provision of the law"
But why is it that only 2s6 out of a possible
1000 chapters have appeared in the advance
eheets?" he asked.
In my opinion" the reply. the publication
~of the session laws was purposely delayed TO In
lcrease the sale Of the Greater New-York Char
l1er,' published by Thomson. who apparently has
an understanding with the State Printer. In fact.
1.-THE latter has placed his in the fyleaf Of
1.-THE volume The charter. which is Chapter 465
OF the session laws. should have been published
eeveral weeks ago in the advance sheets but had
st appeared at that time a decided cut into the
profits Of the publication would have been made.
There has been great demand for this book be-
of these circumstances.
The original plates for Chapter 45, which were
Hsed prepare for the members Of the legislature
copies Of the charter. afterward employed, to-
sether with annotatioDs for Mr.. Thomson's book
THUS the State printer received pay from the State
FOR the advance sheets. which since Chapter 2s6
-1ave not appeared; for the permanent edition Of
the same, and also doubt a generous allowance
from the proceeds of the sale of Mr.. Thomson's
volume. That Is why lawyers have not received
their session laws. Mr.. Lyon wanted to sell Thom-
Another publisher said that he had received
printers proofs of the session laws up TO Chapter
Pa which was the last sent
These slips furnished u.s. he continued, ito
enable us 10 prepare editions Of tax and cor
poration law and TO keep books thoroughly UP
70 date. We receive them regularly. / don't know
why they are not the same time incorporated in
the official edition of law reports and session laws
and furnished at TO the lawyers"
A lawyer, when asked II he had been incon-
,venienced by the delay in furnishing him with the
session laws, said:
'T have been greatly handicapped. especially in
my corporation work. Not long ago looked for
statute that enacted before the adjournment of
the legislature, and was surprised find that the
Booking, but contained statute later than Chapter
other lawyers, have been forced to buy special
volume Of the corporation laws enacted this year
%hen had these reports peen on time there Wouid
the two bound volumes of session laws were sent
70 me on June which was an early
months later. ! should have received my bound
the charter week ago l should have received the
advance sheets OF these over month ago"
Another downtown lawyer expressed his hearty
dissatisfaction with existing conditions the State
Printers office as follows:
.It is notorious official edition gives
ali the session laws. Ii is very evident that this
year it viii not give quarter of them. have been
put to the expense of purchasing separate COM
AJarion of tax laws when should have had the
desired information in the advance sheets 1t looks
very much If the printers were anxious to
help along the publisher OF the volume on taxes
The advance sheets supposed 10 give the courts
t'The State Printer is behind his New-York
Court of Appeals report. Where is Volume 1866?
hind two volumes snd the miscellaneous reports
are tagging. / understand that the bound volumes
aong overdue