New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-04-11
WANT MORE JUDGES.
Brooklyn County Court Has Too
Much York for TzcO Men,

With ire criminal and civil work of the County
court becoming greater burden, it is argued than
any two men, no matter how vigorous. can handle
properly, movement is now on foot TO ger q hin
through the state LegisIa ture that will increase
the number of county judges in Kings to five or
more At present, the work falls on the shoulder.
OF two men, Judges Norman S. Dixie and Lewis [.
FawCett.
Since last fall for the first time in the history NJ
the borough, a term of the Supreme Court has
been aside for the trial of bail cases such "a
those Of the indicted bankers Those cases are
iong-drawn-out and. if left to the county courts
would hamper the work there. While the two
county Judges have managed to keep the criminal
cases IN hand they have been compelled to neglect
civil cases. and this branch of their work is be-
tween three and four years behind
1t has become the custom to look on the County
Court as exclusively devoted to criminal cases The
court has. however extensive civil Jurisdiction be-
tween the municipal courts the Supreme Court
Suits involving $500 less are brought in the
municipal courts, and those involving more than
S29oo are brought in the Supreme Court. Between
those classes falls large number of cases which
the County Court IS called upon handle. It has
jurisdiction IN foreclosure proceedings and fncom-
potency proceedings, and many others
Last year the judges signed 4.270 orders handled
374 foreclosures approved PSI bonds decided 726
motions committed 11A incompetent persons
heard twenty-one appeals from the magistrates
courts and took of much other work besides
presiding at 262 criminal trials. The grand Jury
the 129 verdicts Of guilty" brought in by turies
the received S33 pleas and sentenced III per
sons. In 179 cases sentences were Jspended Judga
Dixie holds the state record for sentences. He sent
more prisoners 10 state prison last year than aUy
other magistrate in the state.
To do the work which the couSt judges and the
justice of the Supreme Court especially assigned
criminal work in Brooklyn doing there are
eighteen magistrates assigned in Manhattan-eight
in the City Court and ten In General Sessions.
Manhattan and The Bronx have together a popu-
lation of 100000 and Brooklyn has 10000 A
proportionate number of magistrates would give
Brooklyn at least twelve.
Judges Dixie and Fawcett believe. however that
they could do well if five judges were al
lowed to the County Court. so that two could be
assigned TO criminal work, two to civil work and
one to a motion and equity term The salary OF
the justice of the Supreme Court who has been
acting as judge of the County Court for the last
is 1880 year.
1t is the practice OF the county judges 10 keep
their criminal calendar nearly up 10 date as
possible They must handle hundred criminal
cases a month on the average to do so. About
half the persons indicted for felonies and
iaI get baed The rest whether innocent
guilty must await court action. At present. the
court has before ii twelve homicide cases. and
great many other cases of less important nature
the calendar.
It has been found necessary to increase the num-
her Of the justices of the Supreme Court and the
number OF trial terms in Kings County The court
has now also two special terms. instead of one
These changes were made last year. At the same
time an attempt made to get through the
Legislature a bin increasing the number Of county