The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-03-03
contested COURTS
RELIEVED AT LAST
Increase of Litigation in Last
Thirty Years
The 81. ,MINGHAM JUDICIARY
a Substantial Increase In Salary to the
Judges of the Supreme court-Bes-
semer Will Be Fat and Juicy
Plum for Someone in 1910.

Nothing could better illustrate the
growth of Birmingham during the last
few years than the increase In litigation
| and the necessity for more judges to re-
| lieve the congestion of the dockets Com
mencfng tomorrow jefferson county Will
have ten judges actively engaged in the
| superior courts, while in addition to them
there are two judges of the inferior ci, il
court of Birmingham and a judge of
the police court Of Birmingham. -
Going back to early days 1t is found
that about thirty years age. all the judi
cial duties in the superior court were per-
formed by Judge Box, circuit court
judge of the Tenth judicial district, which
included Jefferson. Walker and Winston.
AT that time the court met in Elyton,
| put was later moved to Birmingham To a
| building on the corner of Third avenue
and Nineteenth street, and the Mayor act
ed as judge of what is now called the
| police court.
In order TO relieve the circuit court
judge, the Jefferson county criminal court
| was established and Judge Samuel b.
Greene was appointed TO that bench In
! 1884 the legislature established the city
court of Birmingham, and Governor
y Neal appointed Judge Henry A. Sharpe,
| who organized the court. At an election
held two years after Judge Sharpe's APP
pointment he was elected with Judge W.
| w. Wilkinson as associate Judge
interesting History.
In 1898 Judge Sharpe was elected as
sociate justice of the supreme court and
Judge Wilkinson became senior Judge of
the city court, and Judge Charles w. Fer
Sem as associate judge. Upon the death
OF Judge Wilkerson about three years
ago, Judge Sem became senior judge of
the city court, mad Judge Charles W Fer
guson was appointed to fill the unek-
pired term. At the last election for judges
| of the city court, Judges Charles A. Sem
and Charles w. Ferguson were re-elect-
ed and are now in office.
The circuit court iudgeship during these
years had been held by Judge Head, who
afterwards became an associate Justice If
the supreme court of Ala bama, and he
was succeeded by Judge James j. Banks,
who was defeated for reelection by Judge
A. A. Coleman. the present incumbent.
During Judge Samuel f. Greenes term
of office the work of the court Increased
to such an extent as to necessitate the
appointment of an associate judge of the
criminal court. and Judge Dan 4. Greene
was appointed When Judge Samuel e.
Greene was elected judge of the probate
court, Judge Dan A. Greene became senior
ia1.lr -
Samuel l.. Weaver was elected associate
judge, both of whom are in office at
present
The chancery court of Jefferson county,
which is included in the Fifth district of
the northwestern chancery division OF
Alabama, has had as chaneellors durng
these years Chancellor Thomas Cobbs,
died shortly after taking office in 1853.
and A. A. Benners, the present incnm-
bent
Unconstitutional Bill.
! The Increasing volume of business in
the superior courts of jefferson county
made 1t evident that more judges were re-
CURED to keep up with the dockets and
to meet the requirements bill was
passed in the legislature of 1903 with the
object of creating a superior court of
Jefferson county with additional judges
The law was afterwards declared uncon-
stitutional, owing to a failure to prop
erly advertise the bill, and ever since the
dockets have been becoming daily more
and more congested.
In accordance with acts passed by the
present legislature three new judges will
be added to the present judiciary, being
an associate Judge of the circuit court,
to which office A. o. Lane has been ap
pointed, and two judges of the city
court, to which offices C. C. Nesmith and
Judge Fl. A. Sharpe were elected by the
legislature.
The present Judiciary of the superior
court of Jefferson county will now con-
sist of nine judges with a salary of $500
each per annum, holding court in Br-
mngham; and Judge of the city court
of Bessemer with a present salary of
$500 per annum to be increased to $4,000
in 1910.
Judge A. o. Lane.
Judge A. o. Lane. whose appointment
to the associate judgeship of the CIRCUIT