Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1901-07-31
Wythers CoDaDaitte Reports

Ouuli Hull Wlbuoip, Va Wv N~-A''''
on Reduction OF Expenses, pre- ente
the recommendation Of that con
mittee affecting the judiciary. III
report, which is as follows, was referre
to the judiciary Committee: To Ii
President of the Convention:
The Committee on Reduction Of FL
penses beg leave to submit the follow
ing recommendations as to the judd
iciary system Of the State:
l. We recommend that the entir
County Court system be abolished
2. We re commend that the Circui
Court system, as now constituted, b
abolished.
3. We recommend in the stead o
the present Circuit and County Cour
system the following:
The division of the State into twenty
circuits, each Of which shall have pre-
siding Judge who shall receive salary
CT $4,000 per annum, and $3.50 per
annum fer expenses, in lieu Of the pre-
sent ell owance.
Each circuit shall have prosecuting
attorney whose salaty shall be 81, 800
per annum, with an allowance of $3.50
per annum for expenses, who shall
perform the duties Of the present
Commonwealth attorney.
A. That there shall be held in each
county OF each circuit not less than
three terms as may prove necessary or
advisable, ann for the convenient
dipatch Of the business of the court;
and terms may be designated for
I. he trial of civil or criminr' causes
5. That the Legislature have power
hereafter to create such additional
circuits as may prove necessary or
advisable, provided tina any circuit so
creaeed shall not contain less than six.
ty thousand inhabitants.
6. We further recommend that the
Jurisdiction of matters OF probate, adj
ETC., be conferred in va
.ation upon the clerk of the Circuit |
Jonrt in each of the respective coun-
les, cities or towns, and that all mat
ers pertaining to roads, bridges, ETC.,
be vested in the proper county authori
y, established by this Constitution.
z. We further recomm end that all
corporation, or Hastings, Courts in
tiles or towns of less than l2,500 in
abitants be abolished, and that the
lrisdic ton CT such courts be abolished,
Q conferred upon the Circuit Court Of
be district in which such city or town
located, and that the question of
gh ether or not Circuit Court shall
Q established and held IN snch city or
OWN shall be determined by law. L
8. The above recomm endations, in
1r opinion, sh ould lot AXE effect IN
| January /, 1904, the end of the
resent term OF The County Court
Judges, and we recommend that The
ircuit Court Judges, whose terms
i'll expire January ], 1903, be allowed
hold over until this recommendation,
\ dopted, taxes effect, The terms of
"a Corporation Courts, recommended
thus report to be abolished, begin
Id end at separate times and No un
orm provision can be made as to
hen their terms shall expire, and we
ave this matter to the wisdom of IL Q
ldiciary Committee. /
8. If this Recommendation takes ef-
ct, it will result in the abolition of o
% Corporation Courts OF Bristol, Bu-
Ia Vista, Charlottesville, Frederick {
lrg, Mancheste ter, Radford Stauntop, !
ID Winchester. 1t will result, there
re, in the diminishing OF the Officials
our judiciary system as follows:
Eight corporation Judges. eighty
10 county Judges, one hundred and t
ght corporation and county clerks.
ID one hundred and eight Common
ealth's attorneys as well as the
,olition of our present Circuit Court
stem, and in the stead thereof We
commend the substitution of twenty
rcuit Judges, twenty prosecuting y
torneys, which will, of course, .
,cessitate CLERK for each county or
ty wherein a circuit court is
cid.
10. We further recommend that in
cities in which corporation or other
ty court are retained there shall be
Id no term Of the Circuit Court, uu-
So and except city shall have pop
alton OF $4,000, in which case, or
SEES, such city or cities shall be made
ID constituted part of contiguous
urts.
II, We are of the opinion that the
anges recommended in the judiciary
stem will result in very large and
bstantial reduction Of the expenses
erof, without IMPAIR ng its efficien cy.