Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-02
W.P. JAMES NOW
PRESIDING JUDGE
DISPLACES CHARLES MONROE
IN OFFICE
JUDGE 3. N. SMITH SERIOUSLY
ILL
Criminal Department of Superior Court
Now Under Charge Of Man Who
VIII BE- at Head of Affairs for
Some Time to Come

Judge w. P. James yesterday TOOK
I'D the arduous duties of presiding
Judge of the superior court, dlspiacins
Judge Charles Monroe, whose term III
thar connection expired with the close
of Thursdays court session.
Naturally it would appear that Judge
Hutton would be next in line Ior the
work taken up by Judge James,
the former occupying the bench IN oe-
nartment seven, which number follows
the court over which Judge Monroe
nresides and the selection being mace
IN rotation, but when Judge Hutton
+oox his seat Judge James was theh
acting in department seven and II was
81 his reouest that he was transferred
~ the 6epartment in which Juose
Trask formerly sat-No. a.
There was but one charge OIL I'M
nortance made by Judge James IN ms
new role, and this was IN the as
signment of divorce cases. dereloloio
the presiding judge mas piaee1 pt;s at,,re tire
his calendar all cases OF tnlS natuls, t,nS,
irving as many as possible when tney
came ND and distributing among otner
denartments those he has been uhapte
to dispose of. Under the new oruel
of things 40 per cent OF the olvofSe tSe
different departments as soon as hIeu
and in this way, 1t is believed, near
ing of these cases will be greatly Ia
cilitated. ,
Among Judge James duties TINS
month will be the calling OF srdhu
1urv. which, according to law, must
be formed before the 1st OF june, he he
action in this regard will, however, pc
taken before the middle of this month.
Judge James enters upon his ne"
duties with the calendars OF every oe-
partment of the court well hlled' tne
courts at present doing 80 per cent
more business now than two Years aso. ""
Following the holidays declared on ac-
count of the San Francisco earthquake
q large number of suits were filed, Dut
the Judges managed by hard work 10
materially reduce this number: Inen
came the holidays last year at the time
of the depression in fnanclai aila,rs, a,its,
and again following this period SUITS
were filed without regard to NUMBER.
LAWYERS who have come to Los An
reles from San Francisco and VINO
have made a study of the workings or
the superior court for Los Angeles
county say the latter with ITS nine IN
departments is far exceeding IN the
amount of work done the court in their
city, which has twelve departments.
Arrange for Vacations
The vacation period for the superior
Judges will begin about August II, each
iudge being allowed four weeks for
recreation and rest. During that time
no contested cases will be tried in any
of the departments and no criminal
cases will be taken UP unless they are
of the utmost urgency. Insanity ano
necessary probate cases Will, OF course
he disposed of and two at least OF the
Judges will be on duty. Most or the
Judges. it is believed, will take hVe
weeks vacation.
Judge James now occupies the bench
in the department of Judge b. N
Smith and will continue to carry on
the criminal and other work or tnls
department in connection with his du-
ties as presiding judge until the return
of Judge Smith. AT present the IN
dications are that Judge Smith will not
again be seen on the bench for several
weeks. He is now in a sanitarium at
Sierra Madre and it was stated yes
terday that the cold he contracted
about ten days ago has developed into
a severe Illness.
One thing of the most Importance
awaiting Judge Smiths return will be
the motion for new trial for Ruby
Casselman, convicted of forgery. a
continuance of ten days was granted
on Wednesday in this matter and from
present indications, unless the young
Woman's attorneys insist on decision
at the end of that time, the motion
will not be acted upon until Judge
Smith again takes his seat.