The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1909-08-25

"Once more. A nerson commits n
crime In the course of fine ba ia ar
raigned before the county criminal
court He NAV he ever so puilty and
his crime of tbe most beinous cbarac-
ter. He is convicted and should be
punisbed Nevertheless he gets bail
and takes an appeal to the supreme
court In order to effectuate this ap-
neal all the evidence taken in the Grim
inal court must he reprinted. The
cause is argued after a long delay at
the bar of the supreme court, From
this courts decision vet another ap-
peal NAV be taken to the court of err
rors and appeals.
I'm the course of events the court
of appeals ultimately decides the case,
and If the proceedings of the lower
court are affirmed the criminal, after
months and, to our disgrace, be 1t
said, in some cases years Of freedom,
eventually suffers the punishment he
deserves. The taxpayers money Is
FILTERED away and the administration
of the criminal law brought into the
contempt and under the reproach OF
thoughtful citizens. Under the pro-
posed change the criminal shall have
only one appeal Is not this III the
interest of the citizens of this state!
Under the present system the h1gh-
est court In the state, outside OF the
court of impeachment, Is the court OF
errors and appeals, CONSISTING Vi 'ie
preihe court, inc "9'oeia'ei '.
OF the supreme court anu Ola ia!
judges especia'iy appoi"teo ny Tue eo'
ernor.
VI the supreme .ooi, e,
really spoken anu VIII SHIP! '"'
addltioh thai the JUICES y, ',io -.
nre ,ne p,esr"ins 9uue' s,.a,sa Evil
eo"''' ""o , ,.,'',,,s.,S.,
VI '''n''''"' ''' '',e'', ''0' ,
Inc court VI cnan'eis 10 .o"'f
OF the chaneeior anu SEVEN W. en"
cenors. Inc entire co"i' "nen 80 =.
vehed slts ut !reh'oh' p", ',e n
the pusiiiess vi ''e 'o"'. 20 Lii.
by the various vice eiiaioe''o'e ' ~.
In Camden irehtoh Ne""." az
sey Cily' VINO Try Gusts "'.nou, '1
'Under the proposeu c'i"i,s' '"e
OF errors ana appeals, Tue sup'om a',
court ana the court OIL chahceis wiz
be abolished. III thelr piaees wih oe
simply one court, 10 pe ca'e" 'ao
preme court, consisting Vi twenty INV
Judges. There VIII DE no ei'"hce''o' VI
vice chahceiiofs.
"The supreme court WIN be dlViaed
into three divisions, TO each OF winch
seven judges will be assigned. one
division Will be called the Appeals divi-
sion, which VIII take the pace Oh .he
present court of appeais' aho.hef .oiFi-
sion will be the law division anu an
other will be the chancery division.
| "Any one Judge of the supreme court
may hold the supreme court or the
court of chancery in any county In this
state bringing the court directly to
the door of the Iitigant. Each judge
Will exercise the power now exercised
by Judge of the supreme court and
by n vice chancellor.
"This is most important and desir-
able feature, because at present. If II
be found that suit which Is being
tried in one of the law courts involves
and depends upon an equity question,
the law court, no matter how far the
trial OF the cause has progressed be-
fore II or how much expense has been
incurred. must stop its trial and the
cause must be dismissed In the law
court and Instituted In the equity court
that Is, the court of chancery-befere
q vice chancellor.
"IJnder the proposed change this
| cannot possibly happen, because, In
stead OF having law court and an
eouity or chancery court and court
| of errors ard appeals, the supreme
court Judge, being not enls such judge
| but clothed with the powers OF the
present chancellor, may transfer the
cause to the proper division OF the
court when It is discovered that by
mistake II had been brought before
him MS law or supreme court judge.
| ANY one desiring to appeal from a
decision of the supreme court judge
| sitting In a county, whether he be try
ing law or an equity case, may have
only one appeal, and that TO the APP
pcals division He will be put TO one
expense Of printing, to one argument
| OF the appeal, and 1t VIII be argued
before judges who have not sat or
| participated In the trial or the cause
| in the court below. This Is decidedly
In the interest Of expedition and of
economy.
"From the decision of any county
s,.aa ,,.hathar n IN IN law case