Los Angeles herald., 1909-01-16
II IN RACE FOR
NEW JUDGESHiPS
ATTORNEYS BEING GROOMED
FOR BENCH POSITIONS
In Anticipation of Favorable Action
by Legislature, Local Men
Are Pressing Their
Claims

Now that the bill which has for it's
object the increase of the number of
departments OF the superior court in
Los Angeles county is in a fair way
to be considered by the legislature, in
terest, second only to the fate of the
bill itself, centers in the personnel Of
the candidates who are already in line
for positions on the benches in the
three departments anticipated by many
Tor this county.
Eleven names have already been
suggested and these are believed to be
In the hands of Governor Gillett, whose
duty it will be to make appointments
for the newly created positions.
Leading this list is the name of w.
h. JamisOn, appointed last year to fill
the unexpired term of the late B. N.
Smith, but who was defeated in the
last election.
Closely following him is Robert A.
Ling, while Dana Weller has all the
appearances of being a third choice.
j. M Davis of Davis, Kemp & Post is
prominently mentioned as a leader
among the aSpirants for one of the
benches and other candidates are
George Davis, Pasadena; Judge ]. w.
Ballard, George Sanders, Hartley
Shaw, Township Justice H. A. Pierce
and two police justices, H. H. Rose
and William Frederickson.
Should the bill providing for the in
crease be approved it will necessitate
the addition of another court room in
the county building, as only two de-
partments will be removed to the new
Jail annex on New High street. Work
on the annex to the county Jail was
resumed yesterday after a lapse of
more than three weeks, the delay be-
ing caused by the inability of the con-
fro or To finn oh al &c
pected the new building will be in
readiness for occupancy by the first
of the coming month.
All the offices, civil and criminal
and including the sheriff's department
will be located in the annex and the
space now occupied by offices will be
used to enlarge the Jail facilities. The
jailers office under the new arrange
ment will be located at the corner of
Buena Vista and Temple street and
where the under sheriff's office is now
a room will be provided in which at
torneys may consult with prisoners.
Two criminal court departments will
be located on the third floor of the
annex, presided over by Judge Willis
and Judge Wilbur, respectively. The
provision made for these departments
has already aroused considerable criti-
cism, and this has had especial refer
pied by Judge Wilbur as a court. At
first one large room was provided, COW
ering the entire third floor. 1t was
not until the building was well under
way that A. j. Wheeler, clerk under
Presiding Judge James, called the at
tention of former Supervisor Alexan-
der to the fact that two rooms were
necessary. Further delay in arranging
the court facilities, however, occurred,
and it was not until recently that &C.
commodations were made for the two
criminal departments. But when the
partition was completed it allotted al
most two-thirds of the floor space to
Judge Willis department, while the
room provided for Judge Wilbur is little
larger than the ordinary justice court.
The judges chambers in both cases
are also greatly contracted, and this
is especially so in the case of Judge
Wilbur's private room, which is almost
dirk goods box-like in proportions.
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