The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-02-16
LAWYERS OPPOSE THIS BILL.
II Aims 20 Dispiace supreme Court re-
porter Marcus r. Hun.

There is strong opposition among lawyers
OF standing in his city TO the bill introduced
at Albany by Assemblyman Waldo Il.
Blackwell OF Kings, which seeks to displace
Marcus T.. Hun as Supreme Court reporter.
Mr.. Hun is the oldest cour reporter In
the State. 40 far as experience rs concerned.
The bill proposes amendments to the Code
Of Civil Procedure In relation to Supreme
Court reporters, and In effect abolishes all
fees and makes the Office a salaried one.
1t flxes the salary at IS, 200 a e a and makes
an allowance not exceeding 5000 for as
sistants. clerk hire and Office expenses.
A similar bill was introduced at the last
session Of the Legislature. but such strong
opposition to It's passage developed that
1t failed TO pass.
This bill should not pass into a law, a.
II would work great injury to lawyers
especially and to the State in general. :
said o prominent lawyer yesterday. 'The
present Supreme Court reporter is a man
Of long experience and entirely familiar
with the court proceedings and has a trained
staff Of assistants whose familiarity with
the court work facilitates the trial Of cases
and the getting out OF reports OF the same.
II IL an important matter that lawyers
should get a copy Of the opinions OF the
Justices of the Supreme Court for their
use in preparing and arguing cases. Under
the present system We have no trouble
in getting such opinions.
There are about ten volumes OF Appel
late Division reports issued every year.
This bill proposes that some man shall
pay the State 81 800 a volume for such re-
ports and then sell them TO the lawyers for
81 a copy. That is putting a tax on the
lawyers without any necessity for doing so.
II the contractor finds that he cannot carry
out the contract at a profit he, Of course.
can throw ~ the contract, but the time
lost In obtaining another man to print the
reports means much loss Of time TO the
LAWYERS. The bill should be Defeated
There Ia no question OF Mr.. Huns oom-
potency and faithfulness and about the only
advanced In public by those
who favor the Blackwell bill Is the one Of
economy. II was said that as much as
5000 a year would be saved TO the state:
hut II was admitted that the amount OF
savings would be uncertain and the friends
OF the bill acknowledged that lawyers
would probably not get the printed reports
as cheap as they do under the present sys-
tenn. Some lawyers contend that the
Legislature has no Constitutional right
to interfere with the appointment OF a
Supreme Court reporter and that the mat
ter of appointments Is regulated entirely
by the court.
The most important part OF his work
IL in selecting and preparing a digest OF the
opinions and decisions Of the Justices for
publication. The work requires long train
ing, familiarity with court cases and good
judgment. Mr.. Hun Is admitted 10 pos
sess these qualifications and many lawyers
declare that the court could not get a COM
petent man 70 succeed him for 5000 salary.
Several Judges who have reached emin-
ence on the bench got their training and
much OF their reputation by such COM
piling of reports.