New-York tribune., 1911-02-03
DON'T CO TO COURT
whv Judges Of the Kings Bench
Hold Aloof from Royalty.

,ou ~ ,he Brentwood Company
coP. n the high court IN England az
'uu those Of the Kings Bench. do not
any '.,.,r,-thst is 20 say. they do not a.
So .~.s levees. state balls. etc This
tn' :. c,hich nearly every one save the
Tue. ~ the Lord Chamberlain depart
on'~s .Ne Judges themselves is igno-
Hen' casually mentioned the other dav
1us,ice Sir Charles Darling while pre-
" ,,.sr the trial IN connection with the
el.' 6-ought by Mrs. Horace West against
q" Io,her.in-lav. old Sir Mgernon West,
lander. Justice Darling added that this
10 ,recluding judges Of the high court.
- particular of the Kings Bench. from
- court. was constitutional one.
,,st n dated from the times when
use5 70 20 too much 10 court This
..,fectlv true. and IL was 10 maintain
- reputation FOR independence and for
Y..,,,te impartiality. and 10 avoid any sus-
-. n permitting their decisions TO be
f..,rrced IN any way by the sovereign or
-. .ovsltv. that the judges we're virtually
..lr6ed from court functions. In oldeu
'...s tho court OF Hinc,S Bench, now the
80 Di,ision Of the High Court OF Justice,
,.-,,sd part and parcel of the royal house
..5 me Judges fulfilling tho judicial duties
- tie kim. who often occupied "a seat on
-, bench. and the five Judges OF the Kings
psns6 travelled about with him from one
,,vsl residence 10 another. But this was
-. an end to IN the reign OF King Edward
III when the Court OF Kings Rench was
-,s6e as stationary as that ot Common
p,oss From that time forth the tendency
t.s heer to emaucipate the Court of Kings
p.nch. like the other tribunals. from the
,,.pence of the sovereign I'm whose name
n. iudses administer justice. and although
mere have been some notable falls from
Grace IN this respect Yet on the whole the
english judiciary is renowned throughout
the world for its independence.
O. what mportanc, this rule is may Dc
sen by what happens i'm the monsrchica,
,ount-ies az Continental Europe And read
ts CT these letters may recall The eXtraor-
dnary outburst of anger on the part of the
ATE King Leopold az a court reception IN
SIS palace at Brussels against judge who
had rendered himself conspicuous by the
,.gor with which he punished those who
rad defed the new laws prohibiting the
maintenance Of gambling tables at Ostend.
Sya. Namur and other places in Belgium.
Tie King financial enterprises, especially
2, osteud, had been very hard hit by the
srtiEamblnc laws, which had been enact
~ b. an overwhelming majority in both
houses - -he national legislature. IN obe-
t.ence to popular sentiment. Leopold had
hoped that through bis royal influence he
would be able % maintain them In the
condition % dead letter. AT any rate as
fsr as Osteul was concerned, by means Of
hcno-s and favors granted 90 those iutru,t-
81 with their enforcement. and when lac
found that this particular judge would not
allow himself 10 be moved from what no
considered 20 be his duty the royal anger
knew no bounGs
Ju6ge7 Of tie High Court are conspicr.
o2s figures ~ court festivities i'm cver~,
monarchical country Of Continental E,uron..
rsy. and more especially their wives and
ueif daughters, being inevitably suscepti.
Hf 70 tokens of royal favor. Of which SOW
Ce.sns have SO many al their disposal
lodges NJ Tho High Court are even welcome
az h'nored Suests at entertainments of
''e presidents Of republics. r is only in
frsand that they are obliged 10y consti,u-
roril rule and by ancient usage 10 hold
'o'i from The ruler Of tho land and from
!.sltv