The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-03-07
TERMS OF COURT DIVIDED.
Legislature Passes Bills Affecting
New Hanover and severaI Adjoin-
ing Counties.

neys have experienced considerable
trouble in New Hanover and adjoin-
ing counties on account Of a bill
which was passed by the legislature
of 1903 fixing the court calendar In
such a ann that all the terms OF
cases were to be tried after criminal
cases had been disposed OF. Under
this arrangement the greater part o.
the terms, especially when they were
for one week. were consumed in try
ing criminal cases. the lawyers not
preparing a calendar as they knew 1t
would be practically worthless with
only a few days during the week for
the trial of civil cases. It was also
yehy expensive for the county, as a
| grand jury had to be drawn for each
term of court.
Tho lawyers in the counties affected
by the bill of 1903 prepared a bill
dividing the terms of court into civil
and criminal. as in other parts Of the
state, and this bill was passed on
Thursday, March 22nd. Under the
new bill in New Hanover county
there will be four terms of criminal
court, two OF two weeks and
two of one week. There will also be
four terms for civil cases, three of
two weeks and one OF one week.
Section /. That the Superior courts
in the several counties of the Fifth
Judicial District shall be opened and
hold or tho fipoaC harafna ftar Saf forth
to-Wit:
New Hanover county-SiXth Mon
day before the first Monday IN March
to continue two weeks; fourth Mon
day after the first Monday in March
to continue one week.; sixth Monday
before the first Monday in September
to continue two weeks; third Monday
after the first Monday in September
to continue one sweek-each for the
trial of criminal cases exclusively.
Fifth Monday after the first Monday
in March to continue two weeks;
twelfth Monday after the first Mon
day in March to continue two weeks:
fourth Monday after the first Monday
in September to continue two weeks;
thirteenth Monday after the first
Monday in September to continue one
week-each for the trial of civil cases
exclusively.
Fender county-Seventh Monday
before the first Monday in March, to
continue M week; third Monday af-
ter the first Monday in March to cor
tinue n week; first Monday after
the first Monday in September to
contiue two weeks.
Dup1in county-Second Monday be-
fore the first Monday in March; first
Monday before the first Monday in
September; eleventh Monday after
the first Monday in September each
to continue two weeks.
Sampson cOunty-Fcurth Monday
before the first Monday in March.
eight Monday after the first Monday
in March; fourth Monday before tn
first Monday in September; seventh
Monday after the first Monday in
September, each to contiue two
weeks.
Lenoir county-Eignth Monday be-
fore the first Monday in March to
continue one week; first Monday AZ
ter the first Monday in March to con-
tinue two weeks; eleventh. Monday
after the first Monday in March to
CO11Llllue one WCeky lOuiiCoEttt1 MCIf-
day after the first Monday IA March
to continue two weeks: second Mon
day before the first Monday in Sep
TENDER to continue n week ninth
Monday after the first Monday. i'll
September to continue two weeks;
fourteenth Monday after the first
Monday in September to continue two
weeks
Onslow county-The first Monday
in March; seventh Monday be-
fore the first Monday in September;
sixth Monday after the first Monday
in September. each to continue n
week. Provided that the commission
ers of Onslow county may i'll their
discretion, and before drawing a jury
abolish the January and July terms
or either of them. herein provided for
by giving the judge assigned by law
to hold the courts of said county at
said terms, notice in writing hat in
their opinion, that said terms are not
for said county.
Section 2. That Chapter 533 of the
public laws of 1903, be and the same
hereby is repealed, and all terms Of
tho said courts within said district,
established under the said laws are
hereby abolished and all process, civil
or criminal, original, mense or final,
returnable under the present laws to
In Superior court after the ratifca- |
ton of this act. shall be returnable
to the first term of the Superior
courts as established by this act, ex-
cept that no criminal process shall be
returnabIe to any term designated in
this act for the trial of civil cases
alone.
Section 8. Civil process may be
returnable to, and pleadings filed at,
all OF the courts herein designated;
motions in civil actions may be heard
upon due notice at such criminal
terms; ard trials in civil actions.
which do not require . jury may be
lear at such criminal terms, by
consent.