Live Oak daily Democrat. (Live Oak, Fla.) 190?-190?, 1907-04-10
-cRIN1yaIsooURr OF RECORD.

nal Court Of Record. where persons
charged with crime OF minor o1ensss
could have a speedy trial. This. it
is claimed by those who have exam
ined into the matter, would result in
q considerable saving 10 the tax-pay-
ers of the county and cause those
charged with offences coming under
jurisdiction OF the Criminal Court to
be given a speedy trial without wait
ing five or six months in jail, as is
often the case, until Circuit Court
conyenes.
The question of the establishment
of this court has been agitated for
some time, as stated above, but for
some reason the matter has never
been pushed. All recognize the need
of such a court, and at the last term
of Circuit Court, the grand jury, in
their general presentment, made the
following recommendation:
I'VE recommend the establish
ment OF Criminal Court in our coun-
" and We believe that the same
would be a saving to the. taxpayers
of our county. and win cause. the
persons guilty of smaller offences to
be more speedily brought to justice"
For some reason the Feeommenda-
ton of the grand jury failed to awak-
en- much interest in the matter, and
no active action was taken until the
last meeting of the Board of County
Commissioners when States Attorney
Hardee addressed the following COM
munieation to that body: 49,.
Live Oak, Fla. March 80. 1907.
Hon. Board of County Commission
ers, Suwannee County, Florida
+ 'Gentlemen-At the last session Of
the Grand Jury in and for Suwannee
county, in their final presentment,
they recommended among other
things the establishment of a Crirni-
nal Court of Record in this County,
and inasmuch as the matter had been
discussed to some extent by our peo-
pie since said recommendation by
the grand jury, thought it proper
TO call the same to your attention at
this time as the Legislature will on
Tuesday the End day of April con-
vene at Tallahassee. and under our
law the Legislature alone has the
power to establish the Court. | have
made rather minute investigation in
to the proportionate cost of main
tanning this Court as compared with
the present system and i find that II
will be saving in dollars and cents
TO the taxpayers in the sum of sever
al thousand dollars each year. II
this court is established it will have
juridiction of all misdemeanors and
all felonies, less than capital, and
will have a session every two months
/ BY its establishment the county will
save a great deal on the feed of pris
oners, and besides those charged
with crime will have a speedy trial
In addition there will be dispensed
with all grand jury witness in al
matters not capital, also there viii
not be any expense for grand jurie
except to investigate capital cases
besides the expenses of Justic,
Courts will practically be eliminated
from your regular monthly bills
which you have, I know noticed
is quite a heavy burden In orde
10 establish this Court it will requir,
a petition of a majority of the regis
tered voters. hence there will not b.
any use for the trouble and expens
of an election. i am simply callini
your Honorable body's attention 4
tthis matter in obedience TO the rec
ommendation of the Grand Jury an,
would suggest that you confer wit
your regular attorney about it. VIII
win explain fully TO you its jur1sdiC
| ton and powers. and after investigs
ton l am sure you will see that it i
a step IN the right direction, becaus
it more speedily disposes of criminal
and will in addition be a great sayin
10 the taxpayers of the county"
Respectfully submitted,
GARY 4. HARDEE,
4 States Attorney
After receiving the above eommuni
cation, the Board of County Commits
sioners took action with IN
result that each member @