Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-06-15
COURT ACT
URGEDFORCITY
BY BARRISTERS
Adjustment of Justice of Peace
System To Be Furthered by
Atlanta Lawyers.

one of the most important meetings
in the history Of the Atlanta Bar
Association is to be called for con-
sideration of the bill, prepared by a
special committee of twelve, providing
for the abolition Of the justice courts
and the establishment of a municipal
court in Atlanta. Representative
from Fulton County will be request
ed to introduce and urge the passage
Of the bill in the coming session OF
the Legislature.
Should the bill become law, justice
courts or courts of misdemeanOr in
Atlanta viii be abolished and a mu-
nicipal court, having the same pow
ers as the Superior Courts of the
State, with four exceptions, will be
established. These exceptions include
the hearing of those cases over which
exclusive jurisdiction is named by the
Constitution; those involving more
than $500, cases Of injuries to per-
sons and reputation, and criminal
cases other than matters now heard
by justices of the peace.
Similar TO Other Cities.
The proposed bill provided for in the
1912. giving the State Legislature the
power to abolish justice courts in
certain cities and establish such
courts as deemed necessary, Is sim
liar to bills adopted in Chicago, New
York, Buffalo, Cleveland and other
large cities.
The bill was prepared by a COM
mittee from the Atlanta Bar AssO-
citation. consisting OF Walter NIGEL
reath. chairman; Judge Arthur G.
Powell, Judge Spencer r. Atkinson, L.
c. Hopkins, Edgar Watkins, Van As
tor Bachelor. Arthur Heyman, Shep-
ard Bryan, Lee NJ. Jordan, Arminius
Wright. Jesse NJ. Wood and w. A.
Fuller.
The Municipal Court will consist Of
a chief Judge and four associate
judges. nominated by majority Of
the Judges of the Superior Court of
Fulton County and appointed by the
Governor; a chief clerk and one dep
uty clerk, the former to be appointed
by the judges Of the court and the
latter by the chief clerk; and mar
shall and four deputy marshals. APP
pointed also by the judges Of the
court
Good Salaries for Judges.
The chief Judge shall receive a sal
airy Of $500 per annum, and each OF
the associate judges $4,000. The chief
Judge and two of the associate
Judges, desl gnated I'm the order Of
appointment, serve for four years,
the other two judges two years each.
Suspension and removal of judges for
incompetency, inefiiciency or neglect
OF duty may be made by order Of
the Superior Court. The salaries OF
the chief clerk and deputy clerk shall
be 50 900 and $500 each, respective
", while the marshal shall receive
81. 500 per year.
The Municipal Court will seek to
expedite the trial Of cases and T.
eliminate expense. also, according to
further provision OF the bill. Court
will meet every Monday for assign
ing of cases for trial and for the en-
tering Of judgment. There will be no
fixing court days. Cases will be tried
in any one Of the four divisions Of the
court in the court house.
A further feature of the Municipal
Court is the cost deposit Of 50, which
will be the basis Of a fund for the
maintenance Of the court. In this
way the advocates believe the court
will be practically self-sustaining.