The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1906-01-30
MARTIN MUST FACE
CHARGES PREFERRED
Judge Poindexter Hears Arguments on
Both Sides and 0verruIes the De-
murrer.-.DecIares That Martin Must
Face the 19 Charges Against Him,

Superior Ju ige PolndeXter, OF Spo-
kane, arrived in Wenatchee last night
and today listenedl to the arguments
over the demurrer filed in the case of
the Chelan County Bar assoc iation
against Former Judge Martin. On
December 2 proceedings were started
against G. Victor Martin to disbar him
from the practice of law in the state
of Washington. Fifteen charges were
filed against him on that date, and a
few days later four more charges were
filed. In these nineteen charges filed
the judge is accused of extremely
unprofessional conduct, especially dur
jng the time during which he was sup
erior judge Of this district, and any
one of them, If proven, would be suffi-
cient to disbar him.
Martin filed no answer to the charg-
es but instead demurred to each one
of them. The case was brought before
Judge Steiner on the date set for trial,
but the judge, for the reason that the
had too much other work on hama,
and as he stated. for personal reasons.
granted the request of Martin that
another judge be asked to try the case,
with the result that Judge Poindexter
of Spokane was secured.
In ASKING that another judge than
Steiner be secured to try the case,
Martin gave as a::reason thar he bellev,
ed that stranger would not be prejud-
iced by any personal knowledge of the
case He retained as counsel for his
defense Judge Humphries and Judge
Neal of Davenport.
After a strong argument on both
sides Judge toindexter today overrul-
ed the demurrer and declared that
Martin must face the charges prefer
ed by the bar association. No date
has as yet been set for the trial, but
it is expected that it will be about
March Is.
Arreporter called upon the attorneys
for the relators for an expression of
opinion concerning what had been
done and what could be expected to
follow in the matter. Mr.. Corbin,
Mr.. Grimshaw aud Mr. Reeves were
all present and concurred in the follow
ing statement:
The real question determined today
by the ruling of the court is, that the
demurrer interposed by the defendant
to the REALTORS motion for disbaIr-
ment, is not we'll taken and therefor e
sshould be overruled and denied. This
is what was done,
In delivering the opinion of the
court, however. Jugde Poindexter en-
nunciated some sound propositions of
law for the guidance of both the relat-
ors and the defendant in the future
proceedings of the case. Among other
things in delivering his opinion, Judge
Poindexter said:
"Ihat praoticing Claw while on TIE
bench is not grounds, in ITSELF forsdis-
barrment under cur statute, providing
the practice as conducted by the
judge would not be a violation of the
duties of an attorney, if the one so
practising were not holding the Office
of judge. If he did violate any duties
as attorney which were sufficient to
warrant his disbarrment as an attor-
ney, his being judge would be no
defense,
Judge Poindezter then illustrated
and defined the distinction existing be-
tween the Official acts Of judge as
such, aud tho acts Of an attorney as
such. Continuing, Judge Poindexter
used the fotIowig language in consJru
ing The barratry act of the state Of
Washington:
@3There has been no case cited to the