Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-06-26
CONVENTION WAS IN EVERY WAY
AN UNQUALIFIED SUCCESS,
SAY DELEGATES.
MORE THAN PLEASED
WITH ENTERTAINMENT
Closing Session Taken UP With Report
of Law Reform - Recommend That
Private Banks Be Subject to Same
Inspection AS State and Savings =
Other Reforms Adopted.

That the lawyers of Iowa had a fine
time in their fifteenth annual conven-
ton that closed here Friday afternoon,
was declared by many of the prom
inent attorneys of the state who left
for their homes Friday evening. Not
only was the convention an unqualified
success in every way. but the delegates
were more than pleased with the enter
tainment at the hands of the local bar
The attendance at both the state bar
and county attorneys conventions was
the case of the county attorneys, whose
meeting was the largest in the history
of the association.
The closing session of the bar asso-
citation was occupied almost wholly
With listening to and discussing the re-
port of the law reform committee.
Recommend Private Bank Control
The association adopted the recon-
mendation of the committee relative to
the legislature providing by law that
all private banks doing business in
Iowa should be subject to the same
examination and control as state and
savings banks.
Courts Approve Contingent Fees.
Another important recommendation
that was adopted was to the effect that
the law should provide that contracts
for contingent fees to attorneys. while
permissible and lawful, should be SUBJ
ject 10 the approval of the court try
i0p fha ~
nent out of court be subject to review
by any court having jurisdiction of the
parties; the court in either case to
have power to fix the fee. notwith-
standing the agreement of the parties.
Want Jury Commission.
Still another important recommends
ton, which called forth a prolonged
and at times pointed discussion. was
that the association recommend
change in the law respecting the prep
aration of jury lists so as to substi-
tue for judges of election a jury COM
fL..ssion, that Will prepare the lists.
The sentiment was expressed by
many of the attorneys that the quail
ty of the juries now returned to be
used on trials was not of the high
standard secured several years ago.
Especially was this declared to be true
In the larger cities.
| Change Supreme Court Rules,
! That the supreme court change GER
tain rules was also adopted as a rec
ommendation. The alteration suggest
| ed is TO the effect that the party maxi
ing the first argument before the court
shall serve and file his brief at least
ciyrv Ga1-s hes$nra l,a Ia1. of hao My
that the other party shall have thirty
days thereafter within which to serve
and file his. and that the party opening
the argument if entitled to reply. shall
have ten days thereafter within which
! TO serve and file his brief
! Wthdraws One; Refers Another.
/ The committee withdrew one of its
recommendations calling upon the
| Legislature to pass a law authorizing
the amendment of indictment as to all
matters of form. This was done be-
cause the legislature had already had
the question up.
There was referred back to the COM
mittee. after discussion. the following
recommendation embodied in the re-
port:
"A statute should be enacted reading
substantially as follows: NO judgment
should be set aside OF new tria,
granted on appeal in any cause civil
or criminal on the ground Of ntsdi-
rection Of the jury or the admission o,
rejection of evidence. or for any mat
ter of pleading or procedure unless ir
the opinion of the appellate tribunal
prejudice IS affirmatively shown or the
court finds that the error complained
of has resulted in miscarriage of jus.
tice.'"
Further consideration of this article
was desired by the convention, and i
is likely that the same recommended.
ton, or one similar, will be placed be.
fore the next convention by the ne1,
committee on law reform.