The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-01-10
Claimed That Change Will Save Expenses in Way of
 Jury Fees BILL IS PREPARED
 FOR THE LEGISLATURE Felix Blackburn Has Plan Which Pro vides for Division of the Court Into Two Sections, Civil and
 Criminal.

It is proposed to consolidate all the courts of Jefferson county except the Probate court.
 A bill will be presented to the next session of the legislature for the con solidation of the City court of Birmins- ham. the Circuit court of Jefferson coun- ty, the Criminal court of Jefferson coun- ty and the Chaucery court of the county. A bill to this effect has been prepared by Felix Blackburn, a lawyer and member of the legislature, and a meeting Of the Bar association will be held within the next few days to consider the matter. II is claimed the consolidation will save much money to the county in the way of jury fees.
 In the bill it is provided that the sal aries of the judges shall be ss50o year, and the jurisdiction of the consolidated court, it is proposed to make the same as that of the present courts.
 Mr. Blackburn yesterday in discussing the bill and what 1t is proposed to cover, said:
 MT. Blackburn Talks.
 ''The bill which I have prepared af- fecting the courts of Jefferson county, has for its purpose the consolidation of the City court of Birmingham, Circuit court of Jefferson county, the Criminal court of Jefferson county, and the Chancery court of Jefferson county. The consolidation is provided for by section 14S of the new constitution which also T fa.. ota mn, har judges for the transaction of the busi- ness of such consolidated court.
 "In the consolidation plan l hope to accomplish three objects: First the re- duction of the enormous expenses of the present jury system of our county; sec- ond, the payment of the salaries of the judges out of the state treasury; third, to expedite the trial of cases, and to re- leave the crowded condition Of our dockets.
 "The bill creates two divisions of the court Civil and Criminal. The election of one chief judge or justice and four asso- ciate justices of the civil division is pro- vided for at the general election In 1904 The chief judge and the two associate judges receiving the highest number oi votes shall be elected for term Of siS years and the two associate judges re ceiving the next highest number of votes shall be elected for four years, and there after their successors shall be elected fol A term of six years, The present judges of the Criminal court of Jefferson county are continued as judges of the criminal division until their terms expire in l906 when their successors shall be elected for a term of six years.
 Judges Salary.
 "All the judges are placed on salary of $35O0 per year. The jurisdiction ano powers of the consolidated court are the same as the jurisdiction and powers ol the courts merged in the consolidation The election of three clerks is provided for, one clerk for the common law de- partment and one clerk for the equity department of the civil division, and ont clerk for the criminal division. Th' clerks are to be elected In lg04 TOT term of six years. except the presen clerk of the Criminal court of Jefersof county shall remain clerk of the criml nal division of the consolidated cour until the expiration of his present tern of office in 19O6 The chief judge of tho civil division and the chief judge of thu criminal division shall order the sum moning of a sufficient number of jurors for the transaction and trial of cases ano all Jurors are made liable to jury duty In either division when not engaged In tho jury box on trial of a case, except dur ing the weeks when capital cases are SCI for trial, the jurors summoned for the criminal division shall remain in constant attendance during such weeks in the criminal division only. The chief judge of the civil division shall allot and appor- ton all civil causes among the judges of the civil division, and the chief judge
 l.an O apportion the trial of criminal cases among the judges of the criminal division
 Terms of Court.
 '"The terms of court are to begin the first of October and end the last Of the succeeding June. The act provides thai at least one of the judges of the court shall present himself at the courthouse every day, except Sunday, during vaca tion for the purpose of disposing of sucf business as may be presented to him The clerk of the common law departmen shall receive the same fees now allowed by law to the Circuit clerks of the state and the clerk of the Equity division shal receive the same fees now allowed by law to registers in chancery, and the clerk o1 the criminal division shall receive the same fees now allowed by law to the clerk of the Criminal court of Jefferson county
 "The bill provides that the act snail go into effect the 1st of July, 1905, and that the terms of office of the present judges affected shall be extended to the 1st of July, 1905. So far as have been able to learn the general outlines of the bill meet with favor; in fact, I lave heard of no direct, out-spoken opposition to the bill. While there might be some amend ments or changes in the details. yet feel and believe that a bill along the lines in dicatcd ought to and will pars. The enor- nous amout of taxes paid by Jefferson county into the state treasury, and the volume of business transacted in the courts mentioned, 1t seems to me- should appeal to the mind of any fair-t thinking man to warrant the payment of the sal aries of these judges out of the state treasury"