The San Francisco call., 1905-05-11
NEW JUSTICES
BEGIN LABORS
Simple Ceremony Marks the
Opening Session of First
District Court of Appeals

District Court of Appeals
The First District Court of Appeals
/ of the State of California began yester-
day its official career in open court
with a decision on a small case and the
examination of thirty-nine applicants
: for admission to the bar. Hon. Ralph c..
; Harrison is the Presiding Justice, and
Justices j. A. Cooper and s. p. Hall the
associates The session began at 10
7 o'clock with an address by Edward r.
Taylor, dean of the Hastings College
Of the Law.
Following the speech came the first
decision of the new court. granting the
motion OF w. F. Williamson for a
dimunition Of record in the case OF
Pease VS.. Fink. Immediately after the
decision Clerk OF the Court Johnson
read a list of the applicants for ad-
mission to the bar. There are thirty
nine names. and the examinations.
which began yesterday, will continue
until Friday night. when the names OF
those admitted will be announced.
| Dean Taylor in his address to thu
court spoke as follows:
| II your Honors please: The Bar Associaacp
of San Francisco has very properly deemed
/ the opening OF this court for the nrst time
the State constitution an event OF such great
/ Importance as to warrant some especial recog-
deputed me to appear here at this time and
under your Honors' privilege to make on their
behalf some appropriate remarks.
CONGRATULATES JUSTICES.
your eos eosrerss Pa'e IN the oser dsriss on the
felicitous fortune that has befallen you in
State to start on their career these new courts,
whose creation constitutes the most radical
and momentous event in the judicial history OK
the state. IL ig indeed a deDarture. but
departure in the right direction, for IL ts be-
swsd S hS Dy those hose who are SoaeS TO J1oss ane o
a number or years that we have secured at
last an ideal Appellate system.
We have in II not only scientific division
Of labor: but such divided jurisdiction be-
such nexfbility IN the distribution OF business
among them as must necessarily result when
once the arrearage is disposed Of in the Ap-
pellate Courts keeping abreast OF the cases as
they arise. The appellate system as we now
irst ana last cost an infnifude OF thou~ht and
labor extending over more than dozen years,
and this alone ought to give US the best ausury
We here witnessing momentous his
among human activities that can happen in
California to-day Is the opening OF this court
We have here another high instrumentality for
the administration OF justice among men. How
much this means Is easily recognized when
We We c9ns,aer m snat sne eivilizaLon OF country
strumentaltty- Rome was not at her highest
y, when her eagles = sat gorzed with the spoiIs
Of her law which had been developing for
sether in the unriyaIed shsaf whose Ssed hs.
fructfhed the ages
SYSTEM Is NECESSARY.
The value Of an appellate system Is not
always appreciated at its true value. In fact
when the contest was on for the establishment
Of these very courts many intelligent persons
contended that what we needed less.
But this IS an exceedingly superficial view; for
set 1Iz1v rFr.r~
upon trial judges an appellate system is
sanic system Of law for the whole state No
matter what differences OF view there may be
between the various local Judges OF the State.
the Appellate Court that has the hnal word
settles all these differences and determines
What What the rule + and how IT shall operate;
the law OF the State nodded into an organic
Had the Supreme Court OF the United state.
not been given hnai Jurisdiction OF all con- :
but constitution as now we would have
had many Federal constitutions as there
are States In the American union. And so
with US But for our system OF appeals, we
would have had our State constitution mean
thing in another county. while land titles and
other things OF nearly much impOrtancs
fusion.
LAW OF PROTECTION.
The citizen does aot ordinarily appreciats
WAT the law IS and what 1t does for him. He
TO 1t. see that all that he has and enjoys he
owes TO the law and to It's protection. It has
given, him the very form ana framework OF his
goverhment-national. State and municipal.
and not only that. but the spirit as we'll which
anfnnates this form and framework and rnaksa
1t for him the living breathing thing which h
Is; IL makes the difference between barbarian
and civilization. between might and right he
tween apprehension for safety OF life and 1ron
erty and assured reliance that both viii be
1t him. as with an aegis wheresoeve-
he may be and whatsoever he may undertake.
BY 1t alone he safely conduct busines.
ira, Ions. hr aIo -
suits in hts dealings with his fellow man. BIZ
II alone he secures and keeps title ana posses
and his loved ones by II alone he obtains COM
pensation for any injury he may suffer 10 III.
IS justly punished and the wrongly accused
vindicated and set free IN other words, * n
counsel and advice OF lawyers which uros.cts <
man in his life. limb and property Thers is
closely. for II Is with him his sleeping no
less than in his walking. It does. indeed sur
round him as an atmosphere
MAPS OUT RIGHTS.
1t order. the constitution Of the families ana
maps out the rights Of the State against all
persons subject to her laws. and the rights
selves. and II brings the citizen. through The
July sys'e inaJ ,ns 0ss ts ,5t9ss and re-
ment under which he lives. In truth we may
truly say that civilized society rests for it's So
curity on no basis other than that Of well resu-
1 therefore submit that was not speaking
in hyperbole when asserted at the beginning
OF these remarks that the greatest thinI
among human activities that happen In
California to-day Is the renins Of this court
Too much must not be expected OF this court.
OF the system TO Us. That 10
viii work well and justify all the expectations
formed OF 1t I myself have not the slightest
doubt. But a large arrearage OF cases Is TO
be disposed Of. and until that IL done the sys-
TEN cannot be fairly judged.
Sirs. for many years at set hour each
court day the Judges OF the Supreme Court OF
the United States. with the marshal of tho
district at their head. have marched IN solemn
procession to their seats upon the bench. where
upon the marshal at the proclamation OF the
fact OF the court being In session. invokes a
blessing on the people OF the United States and
upon the court: and now, using his languages
with but the change Of word. let me -rever-
eratiallx cnncIlIda with all here nrasant