The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-08-28
LAWYERS FAVOR
 4 CONSOLIDATION Bill Will Now Go Before the
 Legislature OPPONENTS WERE FEW
Measure Provides For Uniting Grim inaI, City, Circuit and chancery Courts. Clerks and Judges
 Elected by the People.

At the meeting of attorneys held yes terday morning the report of the general committee which submitted a bill to pro- vide for the relief of the congested condi- ton of the City and Circuit courts was accepted. It was voted that the members of the legislature from Jefferson county be instructed to do all in their power to procure the passage of the measure by the next legislature.
 The bill was originally drawn up by Representative Felix Blackburn and only few minor changes were made in it by the committee into whose hands 1t came.
 The Discussion.
 Col. s. W. John, who was member of the committee and also of the general committee, spoke in favor of the measure and urged it's endorsement by the bar
 John London, a member of the general committee. raised 1.-the objection that the advertising which had been done for the bill did not sufficiently cover the case and that the measure could not be con additionally passed.
 Capt J. W. Bush was opposed to the consolidation of the chancery courts with the others, and c. P. Beddow did not think the Criminal court should be includ- ed. Their motions were both tabled,
 Several members of the bar questioned the wisdom and expediency of certain features of the measure, but there were many strong supporters and the report of the committee was finally accepted by a very large majority.
 The measure was turned over to the members of the legislature with instruc- tions as put by Sterling A. Wood, ito get half a loaf if they could not get whole one.
 It was the subject of much comment among attorneys and at the court house all the afternoon, it's supporters maintain- ing that the Jefferson county delegation favors the measure and the opponents claiming that it will never get through the legislature in it's present form. The Bill.
 The bill is entitled, "An act to consoli- date the City court of Birmingham the Circuit court of Jefferson county, the Criminal court of Jefferson county and
 
 into one court, to be known as the Cir cult court of Jefferson county. with sufficient number of judges for the trans action of the business of such consolidat- ed court. as provided by section 14s of the constitution of Alabama"
 The bill provides that the consolidated court shall have three divisions, to be known and called the law, equity and criminal divisions respectively. and that the court shall be composed of one senior judge and seven associate judges, to be elected by the people. The position or seventh associate judge Is to remain va cant until a majority of the other judges certify to the governor that the volume of business demands that the position be filled, at which time the governor shall provide for the election of the seventh associate
 The Judges. The judges are to have equal jurisdic- tion in all divisions of the consolidated court.
 It Is provided that the voters of Jeffer- son county shall elect three clerks of the court as follows: One clerk for the law division to be entitled law clerk of the Circuit court; one clerk for the equity division, to be entitled register of the Circuit court; and one clerk for the crim- inal division. to be entitled the criminal clerk of the Circuit court. The terms of the court shall begin on the first Monday in October in every year and on the last day of the succeeding June.
 Further provision is made that when the consolidation is effected all the causes pending in the City court of Birmingham the Circuit court of Jefferson county, the Criminal court of Jefferson county and the Chancery court of Jefferson county shall be deemed and held as pending in the Circuit court of Jefferson county maintaining their relative positions on the docket as nearly as possible
 All petit jurors of the court shall be subject to jury duty during the time for which they are empanelled, in any divi- sion of the court and shall be subject to the orders of any judge of the court when not actually engaged in the trial of a case.
 The Salaries. The salaries of the judges of the court will be s35O0 per annum, the same to be paid out of the state treasury in the same manner that other circuit judges of the state are paid.
 The provision is made that in case of the suckness or unavoidable absence of a judge for more than one day majority of the other judges shall appoint a prac- tcing attorney, learned in the law and resident of Jefferson county, as judge pro tempore.
 The measure Is quite lengthy and is divided into thirty sections. The duties and privileges of judges and clerks are defined at some length