The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1908-06-06
A BILL TO RE.DISTRICT NEW
MEXICO DISTRICTS.
u Provides Additional Justice Tor the
Supreme Court and Masses Cha ngss
in Existing Judicial Districts.

Delegate Andrews has introduced
the following hill in Congress.
\ hill To provide Tor an addition.
al associate justice OF the suprcm,
court OF the territory al New Mex.
leo.
BE It enacted hy the Senate and
House Of Representative oi the
Cnit,dStatcs oiAmcriCa lnCongtcss
assembled. That hereafter tn, 81.
pt,mc court OF the territory o. New
Mexico shall consist Ot a Ch,li ns.
tIcc aud SIN associate Justices. any
iout oi whom shall constitute a quo.
|, rum: provided that tn Judge who
presided ~ the trial .oi q Cdus, IN
tn court below shall not ~ at the
hearing OF the sam" cast on appeal
OF VII, ol error IN the supreme
court oi the territory.
Soc. 4. That 1t shall he the duty
OF the president to appoint one ad.
ditIOnal associate Justice OF said
supreme court in name now pro.
yldcd 10y law, who shall hold hi
office Tor a term vt tour wears and
until his successor is appointed and
qualified.
Sec. \. Tina, the said territory
shall hv divided into seven judicial
districts and a district court shall
bc held IN each district hy one uf
the justices OF the supreme court
at such time and place as IS or may
he prescribed bv law. Each Judge,
after assignment, shall reside IN
the district to which he is assigned.
Sec. !. That the judicial dist.
riots IN New Mexico hc divided and
assigned as follows. FIRST district
to consist OF the counties 1i Santa
f., kIo Arriba, Taos and san uan,
second district to consist OF tn,
counties OF Ecrnalilo, Mckinley
and Sandoyal third district To- con.
,lst OF the counties OF bona Ana.
Sierra and Luna; fourth district TO
consist OF the counties OF san MI.
gu"I, Mora, CollaN and jnIon; NTH
district to consist Of the counties
OF Eddy, Roosevelt and Chavcs;
sixth district to- consist oil the Coun.
ties OF Dtoro, Lincoln, Guadalupe,
QUAY and Torrance seventh district
to conSls, oil the counties OF Socorro
Grant and Valencia.
Sec. 5. That the said district
court shall have Jurisdiction, and
the sam" il hereby vested, 10 hear
to trv and determine all matters
and dusrs that the courts OF the
other districts oi the territory now
possess: and Tor such purposes two
terms OF said court shall lc held
annually at such place. within said
district as may pc designated by
the chcii Justice and his associates
or a majority OF them; and grand
and petit jurors shall bc summoned
therein IN the name now required
by law.
Sec. ~. That all oticnses commits.
ed before the passage OF this act
Nlltll i' 'lbNF'AlAfh All'h dlh "
tcrmincd IN the same manne and
with III" same effect, except a. TO
the number OF Judges, a. ii this act
had not passed.
The committee on the judiciary
to whom was referred the bill II
Il. --oIJto provide Tor an addition.
al associate Justice OF the supreme
court ot the territory OF New Men.
leo, beg leave to report.
The rapid increase OF the popu.
latlon OF the territory OF New Mex.
leo by reason OF immigration dur.
ing the past two years has caused
a great increase OF business tor the
courts.
The large area required TO bc
covered under present arrange.
mentS is such as to create an IN.
due hardship upon the presiding
Judges OF some OF the districts.
The mileage now made necessary
on account OF such large area con.
tanned IN such districts creates an
cXtTavagant expense and is Il bur.
den upon the taxpayer as we'll as
upon the litIgants having business
before the court.
The creation OF an additional
judicial district in New Mexico
will very materially assist in the
efficiency OF the service and in the
aggregate result IN economic ad.
vantage TO the taxpayer and greatly
facilitate the transaction OF the
business generally.
The tact that the Spanish Ian.
guagc is used 10y a very large pro
portion OF the people in New Mex.
lco and that many OF the Jurors
. are unable to readily understand
testimony ia the English language
. and many OF the witnesses are un-
. able to testify in English, requires
the employment OF Interpreters
; and entails almost double the time
; in the trial and hearing OF causes.