The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-12-17
MAY HARMON|zE
STATE STATUTES
Academy of Jurisprudence to Be
Formed to Adjust Con-
flicting Laws.

In line with the proposed unifcation
Of the pleading codes in various States
and the demand for revision of the
eooe OF virginia Is the reported organ
ization OF the American Academy OF
Jurisprudence, the purpose Of which
body will be the harmonizlnE Of con-
iiicting State statutory laws. While
iocai barristerH are perhaps more keen
~ Interested In the call fo- q revised
CODE OF virginia. which Is to be asked
OIL the coming Legislature by the VIZ
glnia Bar Association, the proposed
Academy of Jurisprudence Is coming In
Tor speculation and comment.
The matter of harmonizing State Gi~
vorce laws and damage proceedings
mas been agitated by the bar sssocia-
lions OF this country for Some time,
but the task confronting reformers is
such stupendous one that little pro-
gross has been made. The organization
OF the American Academy OF Jurispru-
dence. to consist of ESQ lawyers, and
Judges from every section OF the coun-
try. is regarded us great step In the
desired direction. The following legal
nights have already been mentioned az
being associated with the movement:
Judge John NJ. Dillon, ex-president of
! the American Bar Associations; Senator
Eiihu Root. Judge Alton B. Parker, Jus
ttce Charles Il. Hughes, Joseph II.
Choate, Thomas g. Jones, twice Cover
nor Of Alabama. James Dewitt Andrews.
Judge Peter S. qrosscup, OF Chicago;
Eugene e. Prussing, of New York, and
l. II. Alexander. OF Philadelphia.
May Publish statement.
The efforts of the academy. It Is un-
derstood. are to be directed immedI-s
ately toward the publication of n sci
entiflc and concise statement OF the en-
tire statutory American law. the pres>
emit enormous bulk and number of law
books making 1t sometimes difficuit to
ascertain what the law Is.
The publication OF this Corpus Juris
Codex,' as II Ia to be called. will be
costly undertaking. and while the
membership of the institution ia 20
DO limited. private subscrip tions are
TO be raised to the extent of $1,000, 900
as an endowment to carry on tho busi-
ness OF the academy and to found a
publishing branch to print Its litera-
ture. An expensive campaign for tho
harmonizing OF State statutes is pro-
1ected by the founders Of the academy.
With tho exception Of tho names
mentioned above. public announcement
| of the membership Of the academy hes
not been made. Tho roll OF ESQ NOM
, pers VIII allow IN average OF five law
yers from each State. and from this
number Ia to be chosen a board. OF
seven or eight to edit the Corpus
Juris Codex." There has been no In
timation ns to who will represent the
Old. Dominion In the academy, and
speculation on this head Is rife a fec
OF $3.50 entities tho chosen berristers
to life membership In the academy.
All earnings of the publication branch
OF the society will go into sinking
fund for tho extension of the useful
ness OF the body and the propagation
or the doctrine of uniform Statutory
laws
For some years there has existed In
Virginia. by appointment of the Cow
ernor through act of the Legislature, a
commission on uniformity of legisia-
ton, whose business 1t is to take up
Just snch matters. The members at
present are: James n. Cation. of Alex
andria; Eugene c. Massie. of Rich
mond. and Park p Deans, of Windsor.