The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-11-08
THE JUDICIARY.

From the Uniontown Herald.
 The next legislature will have to reor- gapize tho judiciary of the state. This most important matter must be dealt with. It will be most carefully considered and a system should be evolved that will bring the court up to the highest degr.e of efficiency. At present too mIe.l time is wasted net only in the trial of causes, but in wat ting for causes to come to tlial. Much of this is due to the system and much to the lawyers. The judges do the best they can under the system, but that impairs their efficiency.
 Much of this trouble disappears in the cities, where the courts are always open. In such places the law questions are set tied before the jury Is called, cases are set to suit lawyers and witnesses and trials move with more expedition. The reasonable thing to do is to assimilate the country courts as nearly as possible | to the pattern of the city courts.
 To effect this end there must be enough judges to handle the business.
 There are now in the state thirteen cir cults, five chancery divisions and twelve or fifteen city and local courts, almost enough to give at least one judge to every senatorial district. Under the present constitution the chancery court may be 1 abolished and its jurisdiction conferred upon some other tribunal With court for every such district the first great step forward will be taken. A judge who gets a salary for years work will thus ,~S, r1rlra av,6 Iyna himself ever ready to dispose of the bus mess that the people may have in his court. Under proper laws and restrictions he can have a grand or petit jury at any time and trial can be had at any time to the great saving of time and money to those who are so unfortunate as to be compelled to go into litigation. Country people will have the same right as city people now have to speedy justice. Under this system a term of court could be held at Uniontown to the great convenience of the citizens of it's vicinity. The direct cost in salaries would be no more than 1t is at present. The saving to litigants would be incalculable. The saving in feeding pris- oners would carry great relief to the tax payer.
 Once establish the principle above stated 1 for the number of courts. Then the ma 1 chinery to set the system in operation l would be no great difficulty. Terms of court could be fixed to suit the convent ence of the people. Solicitors could be | localized or made to ride the circuits, 1 carved out for them. But little, if any, change would have. to be made in the l forms of procedure and these would come as occasion demanded. The main thing ia to have plenty of courts and to have them always open. In Walker county the law requires the judge to open his court every day in the year or nearly so. If it is no hardship there and the judge is will ing to hold the office under such condi- lions, 1t will surely be no hardship upon any one else The patroit who draws the salary for years work should be willing l to do it. The other side need not be con- sidered. We hope this question will meet the consideration 1t seems to us to de- | serve. It is a matter of great importance | to the people in this part of the country who live so far from the court house.