Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-07-14
ATTORNEYS MEET
IOWA STATE BAR ASSOCIATION
OPPOSED TO CONSENT
DIVORCES
Reforms in Iowa Laws Are Wanted
Punishment Of Wife Deserters and
Prevention Of Disagreements Recon-
msnded.

From Fridays Daily.
Des Moines, July 13.-The State Bar
association has taken the first step to-
ward reform in divorce.
At it's first formal session yes
terday it adopted a formal rec
ommendation to the legislature
that it enact law which
will tend to stop divorces by
consent and perjury in securing di-
vorces. The association was inclined
to go further in the matter and had it
Lad an opportunity would have adopt.
ed resolution offered by o. M. Brock
EFT Of Des Moines that not only the
committee be adopted but that the
county attorney be required to attend
the trial of divorce cases and proceed
in the defense of the public to prose
cute in cases of perjury, etc.
Adopt Resolutions.
| The resolutions adopted by the as
| ISOLATION yesterday follows:
That in all trials of divorce cases
where there is no appearance for the
| defendant, the testimony shall be TAX
en- in the form Of dispositions, or by
the official reporter and transcript
and filed in the Office of the clerk with
in three months after the trial, and the
costs thereof shall be taxed as part of
the costs of the case.
Many Divorces.
There were 10000 divorces in this
:. country in 1867 and 10000 in 1900
I South Carolina does not permit di-
vorce, New York for adultery alone
and Washington at the discretion OF
the court. This diversity of laws or
the subject is responsible for some Ct
the evils.
There are two ways in which rea
divorce reform can be secured-by
amendment to the federal constitution
giving congress power over divorce
and by uniform state legislation. The
former is not feasible The latter may
be tried.
Favor Adequate Laws.
I Punish wife deserters.
The state bar association yesterday
went on record In favor of an adeonat'
law to this effect. Effort has beer
made in several legislatures TO secure
enactment of suitable statute COW
ering this class of criminals, but 1
has been impossible to secure it's pass
age. Perhaps the recommendation o
the Iowa lawyers will help some. o.
motion of Judge James Bollinger O
Davenport the recommendation was
voted unanimously by the association
: Six months to appeal
The association yesterday voted t
recommend the adoption Of a law I
cut down the time in which criminal
may appeal to the supreme court t
: six months. They now have one yea,
, ommendation of the law reform com
mittee.
Stop disa agreements.
2 A recommendation of the law re
( form committee to prevent disagree
ments among jurors in cases and com
). polling retrial of cases, was discusse
at length but was referred to the as
ISOLATION next year for action. TIL
proposition as submitted to the asso
= citation was as follows:
That in empanelling a jury, siXtee
: men shall be first called, and after ex
= animation for cause peremptory chal
u lenges shall be exercised, three on eac
q side. each vacancy to be filled as tn
challenge is exercised, and then thu
the parties shall each challenge tw
n men from the sixteen remaining afts
r. the exercise of the three peremptorie
, as aforesaid.
n Prevent Delays.
If The association adopted the recon
l. nnendation Of the law reform COMM
n tee for amendment of the law relatir
to appeals. The recommendation
adopted by the legislature will tend
;, remove the reproach of delay from tt
:, administration Of law and justice
s Iowa. At present a year and a ha
4, may be consumed in getting a ca
n into the supreme court. The appea
will be fastened if the legislature oil
serves the following recommendatic
J. by the bar association.
Resolved, That the law be changt
so as to require an abstract to be Al,
g. in the supreme court and the eau
u docketed within three months after Il
~ appeal is perfected, unless upon wri
,. ten application to the court or judi
IL thereof, the time for filing the san
Is extended.