Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1913-07-09
SOME NEW IOWA LAWS.
New Statutes Relating to Courts and
Court Procedure i'm. Iowa.


All acts of the Thirty-fifth general
assembly not already in force by
publication became effective July A..
Quite a number of chapters in the
new session laws relate to the courts
and court procedure.
All judges, both supreme and dis
trict shall be nominated and elected
without regard to political parties.
The system is like that adopted for
commission cities. Candidates
names go before the voters at the
June primary on separate ballot,
and each voter votes for twice. as
many candidates as are to be elected,
and this number are nominated. In
November there Is a special mon
partisan judiciary ticket column on
the official ballot with the names of
the nominated candidates. Nothing
to show whether they are republican
democrat or bullmoose. 1t means
the biggest shake-up in the judiciary
since the circuit courts were abolish.
ed. ee ,1s
The supreme court is authorized to
divide II self into two divisions and
make rules for submission of cases
to the entire court or to the separate
divisions, the chief justice being on
both divisions. This has not yet
been done, but the court is seeking
the advice of leading lawyers as to
how best to proceed. The supreme
court will also hereafter appoint its
clerk and reporter.
On petition of any five attorneys
In one county the chief justice may
order the temporary transfer to that
county of judge who belongs in
another district to hold court exactly
as IL he was resident of the district,
to relieve an Over-burdened docket,
or for other reasons.
A county attorney must not only
be qualified elector of his county
but must be admitted to practice as
an attorney or counselor in Iowa and
not have his certificate revoked.
A court may admit to practice on
motion an attorney shown to have
been admitted in another state and
have practiced there for one year.
The mayor of any city or town
may get rid of holding court for vi
Olation of the city ordinances by an
order to send any such case to JUS
tice of the peace who shall try it the
same as state case and with same
fees and conditions. This is to ena-
bic cities to get business men for
mayors who would not serve if they
were compelled to act as petty jur-
orS.
Where there Is a vacancy in the
Office of justice of the peace and the
books of the former incumbents are
in the hands of the county auditor,
a transcript from the docket may be
obtained through the clerk of the
district court on a written request
and rendering the fees the same as
transcript from j. P. If he has the
books.
Where dispositions are taken in an
outside county and books to account
are competent evidence in the case, a
photograph may be taken of the
pages of the books, and this can be
certified up and be used as evidence
along with the depositions.
A material witness may be requir-
ed to go to another state to attend
court where the other state has a
similar reciprocity law. The witness
desired may be summoned before a
court and If the court finds he is a
material witness in the other state
an order shall be issued for him to
answer the summons. The witness
must, however, be rendered 10 cents
a mile and So day for each day
he Is wanted.
A person under sentence of court
and suspension before commitment
as a first offender may now be par
doned by the governor pending such
suspension.
AS to instructions to juries by the
district court very important
change goes into effect July 4th. Sec
tion 1905 of the Code Is changed
by leaving out the reference to
when the argument is concluded"
in regard to the times that the at
torneys shall present their written
requests for instructions. Then this
added, all new stuff:
"All requests for instructions must