Omaha daily bee., 1909-12-30

The Nebraska state Bar association
found itself in more reformatory mood
yesterday than Wednesday and adopted all
the recommendations OF the committee 'on
procedure. Also the code of ethics sane
toned by the American Bar association
went through after two changes had been
made.
The action adopting the procedure COM
mittee's suggestions is In considerable con-
trast with the knocking in the head the
reforms advocated the day before by the
committee on legislation received. More
over, the state bar association applauded
heartily all the suggestions made by
Judge Letton of the supreme court and
Judge Letton was for reforming proceed
ure, too, though he put his plans in more
honeyed language than did c. c. Flans-
burg and his associates on the committee
on legislation.
Judge Goods committee made several
recommendations, the two important ones
being that, instead of county attorneys
conducting criminal prosecutions of i'm
portance district attorneys handle the
acses and the county attorneys be confined
principally to protecting the counties in
civil cases. The recommendation carries
with it a plan for the distrlcting of the
state, and would be OF most Importance
outside Douglas and Lancaster counties,
where the district would be the same as
the county.
The other recommendation Is that "ap-
peals be limited by statute" This means
a recommendation that appeals in civil
cases be limited to those above a certain
sum, and that appeals for trivial amounts
be not permitted.
Another recommendation BY this commit
tee has to do with filing appeals within
thirty days and making transcripts file
able in the supreme court within six month.
There was lively fight over the reso-
luton about district attorneys and the
! plan carried by a two to one viva voce
| vote.
The meeting then took up the question of
the canons of thics and at once voted
down section thirteen, which provides that
the courts may fix contingent fees. The
lawyers of Nebraska do not want the
courts to do anything of the sort and this
section was voted out and down in a hurry.
Words Cause Little Tilt.
There was a little brush over certain
words in section fifteen and the displeas-
ing line was eradicated. This line forbids
attorneys to tell jurles that It is their own
personal conviction that the cause they are
representing lS Jubl one "A llBnl was
made on section twenty-elght, which for
bids attorneys stirring up business. This
section is aimed at ambulance chasers" :"
and attorneys who employ agents and pay
commissions for cases brought TO them.
j. L. Haley rose and asserted "a lawyer
has as good a right to go to a man in
jured by a street car or in a packing house
as has the claim agent who is there to
wheedle the victim into signing away his
rights. Such victim ought to be told
that he has rights to preserve"
j. H. Macomber and others argued for
the section and it was adopted.
Following the discussion of the code OF
ethics the association heard a paper on
"A Citizen of the United States" by c. s.
Elgutter OF Omaha. The Garfield paper
did not arrive. The association elected
officers for 1910 with unanlmity and then
adjourned. The 1903 meeting has been wei
attended and is deemed highly successful
Judge Lotions address was made at the
morning session. lie had read reports OF
what the association had done to the rec
concentrations OF the committee on legisla-
tion and said he felt like a recruit arriv-
ing on the field of battle as the smoke OF
conflict is lifting and while the wounded
and dead are being carried away"
But he offered no plan Of hair-raislng
radical changes.
Defends Jury system.
Judge Letton defended the jury system
and said:
I'D rather have a verdict on myself by
twelve fairly intelligent jurors than by
twelve learned judges"
The speaker urged that some concern b,
manifested for the comfort OF jurymer
when the case has gone to them, "ant
that clean and sanitary quarters be pro
vidcd instead Of the usual il-ventlataC
rooms furnished with only cheap and un
comfortable chairs"
Judge Letton II firmly OF the opnior
that sleeping quarters ought 20 be pro
v!ded for juries who may be kept ovel
, night on a case. The question OF jur,
drawing was also discussed at some lens tn
Among Judge Lotions auditors we're hi
associates upon the ruprome bench and al
Of the justices held a vsrltable leyee be-
fore the morning Gcssion began Mcrt
lawyers shook hands with these judge
with that fervor born only OF
combination OF old friendship and deslr,
to stand well with those who win late
pass upon cases appealed from lowe
courts. II was noticed, while there w-r
many Omaha attorneys Joining IN Ia
leVee, that !. J. Dunn was not Of the num
ber.