The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-14
Shortening Court Terms
e Editor of The Age-Herald.

To the Editor of The Age-Herald In view of the far-reaching effect a
 measure now pending before the leglsla- ture of our state with reference to
 change in the term of the city and circuit courts in Birmingham, I ask space in your valuable paper to express what l consider to be fair and conservative view of the same
 Under our present law the city court of Birmingham and the circuit court of Jeff jerson county adjourn for vacation on the last day of June and are in vacation during the months of July. August and September. There are two judges in the circuit court and four in the city court. Court convenes at 9:30 in the morning and recesses at 12 and reconvenes at in the afternoon and adjourns at s, making five Eours and 90 minutes per day, or 27is hours per week. There Is no docket set for Saturdays.
 Under the proposed law and I under stand that MT. Morrow has secured the passage of the same in the state senate. there shall be no session of either of these courts during the months of March, July. August and September, with two weeks vacation during the month of November
 and one week during the month of April. There Is also a weeks vacation for Christmas. leaving only seven months during the year for court to be held Tn tiese two courts. employing six judges. These judges receive s375 per month. or S45c0 per year for their services. They now have a three months vacation on full pay, and this proposed law seeks to give al additional two months vacation on full pay The expenditure of public mon eys as salaries to these six judges dur ing that five months would amount to $11 ,25O, for which the people get no bene- fits or service.
 The purpose of the creation of these 4,,1< fa contested condition of the courts and to enable litigants to have speedy trial or their causes, thereby cutting down use- less accumulation of costs and neon venience These former conditions have
 been greatly relieved, and 1t is now possi- ble for litigant to secure a setting or his cause within six months from the time of the institution of the suit. l am ln- formed that in the two courts there are now about 5000 untried cases now waiting for disposition. In order to have these causes tried as promptly as justice de- mands and as our constitution guarantees we need these judges and we need them nine months in the year.
 If these six judges can keep their re- spective dockets cleared in seven months in the year. 1t seems to me that the need eo, legislation is an act repeating some of the laws creating these 1udeesnips, thereby cutting down the number or l judges and let the remaining judges Work for nine months as is now the practice. | We have striven for years to relieve these congested conditions in our courts' | and as we are about to attain these re- suits 1t is highly improper to make move hack toward the old ruts of congestion. A congestion in the court dockets means delay in litigation, inconvenience 10 par l ties and annoyance to jurors ana Wit-
 nesses and a great accumulation of costs under our iniquitous fee system.
 | If seems to me that the effect or the | enactment of law that would shorten the terms of the courts would not only be, a usurpation of the public money In | way by which the public would receive
 nothing in return for same. but also a | de,ay in the administration of justice, useless accumulation of costs. an annoy ance to the witnesses, a grievance to the Iitigants and system by which those l who become liable under the law TOT wrongful and negligent acts may pro l long. harrass and perhaps finally escape I liability Yours truly,
 ROLAND SHUGART. | Birmingham, February 13, 1911.