The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-01-28
GEORGIA JUDGES
ARE 0VERW0RKED
Thousands Of Cases Handled
In a Years Time
NEW lNTERURBAN LINE
Demands of Service In Atlanta Have
Caused Great Extension of Troll
ley Lines To Surround
Ing Towns.

Atlanta, January 27.-(Speeial. )--That
the judges on the Georgia supreme bench
are required to do three or four times
the work of those on the bench of the
supreme court of the United States is
ment made by Attorney General Wicker
sham. relative to the late Justice Wheel
er Fl. Peckham, with the figures present.
ed on the Georgia courts records.
In the memorial to Justice Peckham
presented by the Attorney General in
the supreme court of the United States
ON the occasion of the appearance there
of several Georgia lawyers the state
ment was made that during his 10 years
on that bench he had written opinions
in approximately 400 cases, or an average
of little more than 20 cases q year. 1t
was evidently the purpose to convey
the idea that Justice Peckham had done
a large amount of work.
1t will be interesting In this connection
to know what the Justices of the Geor-
gia supreme court have to do. Before
the creation of the state cours of APP
peals few years ago there were more
than 300 cases brought to the supreme
court of the state every year. or about
45o at each Of tho two terms. With
six judges on the bench this required
the writing of at least $50 cases each
every year and, of course, the investi-
cation that goes with the preparation of
each opinion.
When the court of appeals first came
the annual number of cases brought to
the supreme court was reduced to some
thing less than 600; now it has grown to
about 700, and litigation is still constant
~ piling up 1t begins TO look as IL
within year or two the supreme court
will be right back where it was when
the court of appeals came to its re-
lief.
Under present conditions each of the
Georgia justices has about 115 cases to
handle year; to investigate after hear
ing argument. and prepare the opinions.
In some of these it is true only head
notes are found necessary, but that does
not dispense with the work of investi-
cation. 1t is evident that in the course of
10 YEARS 6SpiSid supieiie couit Jeueo
would have to prepare opinions in some
where between 1850 and 200o cases.
Another fact to which attention has
been called in making the comparison
is that the jurisdiction of the United
States supreme court is far more limited
than that of the supreme court of Geor-
gia. Its field of investigation is there
fore more limited and less research is re-
quired in the average case.
New interurban Line.
BY the middle Of the year Atlanta will
have In operation another internrban
bell county. on the west. a distance of
20 miles. The grading for the greater
part of this road has been completed
and some of the rails laid 1t Is now
planned to begin operations about the
last of June or first of July.
The interurban tralley lines running
out of Atlanta are being gradually ex-
tended in response to demands for the
service until ultimately it now seems ap-
parent they will reach state lines In at
least three directions There Is little
doubt of extension within the next few
years, east and west across the state.
reaching South Carolina on one side and
Alabama on the other. 1t may take long
er to build up as far as Tennessee.
For some years now line has been
promised from Atlanta to southwest Geor-
gia, and authority has been given for an
issue of bonds and stocks by Macon cor
poration to this end. but realisation seems
slow.
Congressional Race.
The congressional situation In the Sew
auth district has about dwindled down to