Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1906-08-31
PLAN FOR REORGANIZATION
BAR ASSOCIATION RECOMMENDS
CHANGE IN JUDICIARY SYSTEM.
Committee Makes Report in Form OF q
Bill to be introduced In Legislature
One Supreme Court Of Five Judges
with Circuit Bench Of Five.

The committee of the Vermont state
BAR association, appointed by President
ii. Henry Powers ut the annual meeting
in Montpelier Oct. ~ last To eohsiuer
the propriety Of change IN the Ju'
dietary system Of the state, has prepar'
ed its report in the form OF biii 10 DC
introduced nj the coming session Oh the
legislature. The bill provides for a SUI
preme court of five judges TO SIT as =
court of appeals and n circuit court Oh
FIVE Judges to hold county courts IN con
nection with the assistant judges now
elected by each county. II leaves IN
blank 10 be filed the salaries OF the
Judges, but provides that they shall not
demand or receive any fees. Inc com
mittee of the bar association is com
posed of Col. Alfred A. Hall of 81. Al
bans. j. l.. Cushman of Burlington, John
II Senter of Montpelier, w. Il. q.
Stiekney of Bethel. T. w. Moloney OF
Rutland, Clarke c. Fits of Brattleboro,
and John Young of Newport. Inc run
text of the proposed bill follows:
at is hereby enacted by the General As
sembly of the State OF Vermont as Follows
''sec. /. There shall be supreme court
for the state of Vermont which shall De heid
at the times and places appointed by law.
"sec .. Such court shall consist OF one
chief Judge and four associate judges VINO
shall be elected as provided by the consuiu'
ton. ~
,sec. 3. 1t shall be the duty of an the
;udges Of the supreme court TO attend every
session Of such court
"sec A. The general terms Of the SUI
preme court shall be held as follows; On the
second Tuesday i'm January, February
March, April, May, June, September oeto'
ber November, and December at Montpelier
and special terms may be held at such other
times and places as the judges appoint.
..Sec. 5. In causes transferred TO said
court from the county court or the court OF
chancery, the judgment Of decree shall not
be reversed nor modified unless four judges
concur in so doing. II, after full considera'
ton four Judges of said court can not agree
upon what judgment or decree ought TO be
entered in such cause the judgment or de-
cree may be affirmed by three judges of said
court.
.,Sec. g. In all eases of which the su
preme court has original jurisdiction at least
three Judges must concur in the decision
Sec. Z. In case any supreme court
Judge shall be unable to attend any term OF
the supreme court by reason of sickness, or
is DISQUALIFIED to act in the trial OF any cause
pending in said court, judge OF the err
emit may be designated by the chief Judge
of the supreme court to discharge the duties
of said supreme court judge during said
sickness or disqualification, and said circuit
Judge shall have all the authority and power
and may execute all the duties of such su'
preme court Judge. Ii the chief judge of the
supreme court shall be sick or disqualified
the first associate judge may make such des
ignaton
''Sec. g. The judges OF the supreme court
shall make all necessary rules for the order
ly practice in the supreme court; and snail
make adopt, and publish and may alter or
amend rules regulating the admission OF az
torneys to the practice of law before the
courts Of this state.
'Sec. g. The annual salary of each judge
of the supreme court shall be --------
dollars and necessary expenses while away
from home on judicial business; no judge OF
the supreme court shall demand or receive
fees for official services performed by him
either as judge or chancellor.
'Sec. 10. A county court shall be held
in each county at the times and places ap'
pointed by law, consisting of one chief judge,
who shall be one of the circuit judges herein
after provided for, and two assistant judges
elected by the county, any two of whom
shall be a quorum.
"Sec. IL There shall be elected ben-
nialy by the general assembly as provided
in the constitution for the election of judges
of the supreme court five circuit judges
whose term of office shall begin on the first
day of December following their election
and continue for the term of two years
''Sec. IL. The circuit judge first elected
shall be the chief judge of said circuit
judges.
HSec. 49, Each circuit judge shall be
chancellor and shall have and exercise for
and throughout the state, all the jurisdiction
and power which now are, or hereafter shall
be. vested in court of chancery.
sSec IA. The circuit judges shall as
sign one of their number to hold the court OF
chancery and preside in the county court IN