The Washington times., 1905-10-15
DISTRICT BENCH
NEEDS MORE JUDGES
Lawyers Want Supreme
Court Increased to Seven.
DOCKET is OVERCROWDED
Additions to Clerical Forces Do Not
Dissipate Troubles-Many Old
Cases Hanging Fire.

| From the consideration given the
subject now by members Of the Wash
ington bar. 1t Is believed to be proba-
bic that legislation will be proposed at
the coming session of Congress to in
crease the number Of justices of the
| District Supreme Court from five TO
seven.
| 1t is contended by many lawyers that
there is plenty OF work In the court to
warrant the increase. The new justice.
II is said. could be assigned to the pro-
bate court and incidentally be given
the consideration OF the appeal cases
and the lunacy business, all Of which
combined now takes up the greater
part OF the time OF one of the justices.
Recently two assistants have been
added to the staff of employees In the
Cffice of John r. Young. clerk OF the
court The increase In the amount of
| business transacted in the clerks Of
| flee demanded such action. Notwith-
standing the great amount of work done
IN all branches Of the local courts, the
records Of the clerks Office are always
up to date, showing excellent manage
ment by the head OF the office and ef-
ficient work by his subordinates.
Work Is Well Executed.
An inspection Of the records OF the
court shows that In the year ending
September 80, with the exception of the
criminal and iunacy branches, there has
been an increase In the business OF the
court. While the increase In the actual
amount of new litigation commenced Is
not very great, the records OF daily
proceedings in the several branches of
the court show how the volume of
business has multiplied.
The justices of the court are kept
busy from the opening OF the fall term
In October Of each year to the close of
the April term. at the beginning of the
summer recess on July l.
The records of the litigations fnsti-
tuted in the different branches OF the
District Supreme Court for the past
hve years VIII give an approximate
IDEA or the work which must be done
hs the members of the District bench
and court officials. In the past five
years the number Of original proceed
ings instituted in the different branch
es Of the court is as follows.
Record Of Achievement.
Equity-For the year ending Septem-
Der g. 1861. $50; September 30, 1902. $50;
September 30, 1903. 677; September 80,
1904. Il9; September 80. 1906 7S6
AT law-For the same periods. 762 no
797. 752. and 7s3
During the same periods indictments
were reported by the grand jury as fol-
lows: 2s4. 422, 4Co $40, and 44s.
For the same periods. the number of
litiEntions concerning the estates of de-
ceased persons were GAS. GO. 6sS us. and
750
The number of petitions de lunatico
inquirendo instituted were 2s2. $780, $50,
46o. and 42S.
The handling of this great mass OF
litigation requires a large clerical force
In the Office OF the clerk and the whole
time of the members of the District
bench Many of these matters, in them
selves of little interest. often demand the
attention OF one OF the justices OF the
court for days and weeks and some
times months.
Often the whole time OF one or more
of the justices Is taken up in the con-
sideration and determination of a few
matters OF long drawn out litigation in
an entire term This is particularly
true In reference TO litigation In the
probate branch OF the court.
Hearing Justices Cases.
The justice who Is assigned to Grim
inal Court no. IS also specially depu-
tized TO preside In the Probate Court
and in addition Is expected to take up
for hearing what is known as justice OF
the peace appeal cases So IL is that
when any one class OF these cases Is
being considered by the justice assigned
to Criminal Court No. g IL is to the
delay and perhaps detriment of the
cases Of the other two classes.
II is understood that despite the fact
that the members OF the bench have put
in a hard years work. the work In the
circuit and criminal divisions OF the
court was not concluded at the end Of
the last April term. This is account-
ed for by the fact that in these di-
visions of the court the clearing OF the
calendars was blocked by the trial Of
several important cases. which occu-
pied the attention Of the presiding jus
tices for long peiods OF time consecu-
lively.
You'll Appreciate the Superiority
90 Doa Gto.,o. D,,+tar An