The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-11-01
JUDGE JONES' REMARKS
SPOKE TO MEETING OF THE MoNT-
 GOMERY BAR.
He Urges the Necessity of Relief h Hanallng Litigation in United
 States Courts of Ala.

At a special meeting of the Mont- gomery Bar, held Monday, Judge Thomas c. Jones of the United States Court made the following address to the lawyers:
 Brethren-I thank you for your invi- with the members of the ~S Oar. @ No one s understands better than a right-mind- ed judge how much of he moral infiu- ence of cerrts. and their ability to dis people, otrends upon the character and cordial assistance of the members of lts gar. You have met to discuss a people of the Northern and Middle Dis. tricts O; Alabama Naturally, 1t Is one to which have given much thought.
 Tae Northern and Middle Districts of single judge, compose about ive-sixths ot the territory of the State. and the United States courts in those districts volume of business which come before the Federal Courts in this Snfe.s The criminal, civil and bankrupt siness is far gre ater than any one. man can pos- at which court is held in the two dis tricts. Is suffering from clogged dock etc. and the inccnvenience of having a large part of each year. Idtigants in year. sre esmpeilea M fo es take saIo Ieng St ans ns espensiys esss w,,h !ourGsys to traasact busi- impossible to dispose of the dockets at these plat es within a reasonable time after case comes into the court. We get. Judge Toulmin has give1 what time he could frCm his other duties Judge Shelby has recently neId a court now holding court there. Such aid, however, is but a temporary expedient It 1oes not at all meet the situation. It is apparent to every one that there nent sddition to the judicial force of the two districts. You know 1t, and 1t is needless for me to enlarge upon it. best remedy within our reach. Only three plans have been suggested: One is to redistrict the State, after adding g third judge to the judicial force. Lit calities, however. have so many asso- citations and interests that it is impos- sible to tell what position they will that specific plan is presented to them. Every time # is attempted, the differ ences about it. cause failure. In seek once eonferred with members nams more Of 'ase the made that perhaps the isSor might be be Ssas bssrdRs sy putting ASn1ston in the bers of the bar there and litigants would never consent to that arrange associations were more Intimately con necteo with Birmingham, winch was much easier reached from Anniston Mas han H At sasshs5 ts some of the counties of the lower part of the Middle District be detached and put in the Southern District with gants in those counties instantly pro- tested to their representatives, say ing. that all their associations and and that under no circumstances would they consent to be put in the Southern District. Objections like these which ways al :Rrng up ?, t1 tss any plan looking of the existing districts, render 1t im- possible to do so. To attempt it is to defeat any relief.
 have suggested the idea that new dis trfct be created. to be carved out of parts of the Northern District in the tsrrtosy sS5asent ta st to otbs bsrmrEham II district or locality in the Middle Dis trict to agree to any such arrange ment. It would be unjust to all the the rresent judge of those districts. shefield. Gadsden. Florence. TaIIadega. would be left m iis what what remained n e~ehs of the Northern District, and that territory and the Middle District would be left to the care of the present judge of the would suffer from the present incon- venienCe, resulting from only one judge for the two districts. of having to take long journeys to reach the judge to procure chambers orders with the con- seQuent delay and expense. Litigants in tho ce places would never consent to an arrangement which would compel them to come to Montgomery to get chambers orders, when in doing so. they to them. It would be an anQnaious condition of things for a Judg@ living at Montgomery. 100 miles from Bir- mingham to have to go through Bir- court 1oo miles beyond Birmins ham, if there were another judge there. am satisfied that the bar of no locality in the State wishes to obtain any advantage oyer Birmingham in the additional judge. They insist. how ever, insharing equally in proportion in the measure of any such relief. They believe this to be just and they will not abandon their opposition to the various bars in North Alabama on this subject leave no doubt as to their atti- tude. It is, therefore, utterly imprac- ticable to get relief by attempting to of portions of the Northern district, or the contiguous territory to form a new district at Birmingham. Such a plan, besides the other objections named, would require encouragement of the duties. and probably the creation of a torneys and Marshars offices. The ex- tra expense alone. insuch event would create great opposition In Congress.