The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-01-14
IAWSTANDARDS
NOT TOO SEVERE
Men Not Prepared for Examina-
tions, Thinks Member of
State Board.
APPROVED BY INSTRUCTORS
Queries Are General In
dorsed-Whiskey Not
Good for Applicants.

Absolute denial of the statements
heard at times 10 the ehect that IL Is the
| nolicv of the State Board OF Law Elk
aminers TO hold down the number OF
men licensed 10 practice law in Viz
GINA was made last night by Aubrey O..
| Weaver a member of the board. Be-
sides he does not think that the ex-
aminations have been III the least I'M
necessarily difficult, or that there was
anv good reason why a properly pre-
pared student should not have passed
them. s., l..
examinations during the past two years
has caused much comment. Com
nara.ivelv few of the applicants have
secured license. this being especially
inc of the examination held in Roa-
noke last June Some college men
failed. and this fact has been widely
discussed.
nation tomorrow in the hall OF the
House of Delegates, limited to those
who failed last June or at some time
nrevious thereto. 1t Is special meet
mo held for the specific purpose Of
giving these men another chance ne
board will do its preliminary work TO-
night
Mr. Weaver thinks II possible that
many failures are caused by the care
taken not to repeat questions asked at
former examinations All queries are
carefully compared with those used be
fore so as to prevent the possibility OF
repetition. IL is therefore Impossible 70
prepare for an examination by special
s1udv of what has gone before
Another class of failures, Mr.. Weav-
or finds is in those young men VINO
make of the examination trip TO the
city, with accompanying good time lie
does not think youth VINO comes TO
Richmond or goes 10 Roanoke to appear
before the board. and spends the nigh
hefoe in consuming whiskey. stands
very good chance of being able 70 give
comprehensive answers to the questions
propounded.
Again. there are many failures fro
undergraduates who try too soon, and
the list is augmented by those who try
70 take CORES pondence courses in law.
whicb in his opinion, will not equip
man either for examination or for the
practice of the profession
Mr. Weaver knows that the board
has been criticised by people who have
heard from the men VINO falled put
he invites any attorney in the State
look over the papers and see If the
examination is too difficult Or, he
would have anyone interested look
over the former hearings and compare
the questions with the answers
Some Illustrations.
one applicant, in reply TO question
asking in what respects the Supreme
Court has original jurisdiction. re-
plied In misdcmeanor cases
Such a situation, thinks the exam
iner- should convince any one that the
aDplicant should not, in justice 10 the
people of the State. be permitted TO
claim to be a lawyer and 10 take the
peoples money as such
A striking illustration of the workings
of things is given by Mr. Weaver
Among the men who failed last Novem-
her was a graduate of the law school OF
the University of virginia; inns
applicant later wrote MI edVet
letter in which ne indicated MS ieehhs
that he should have been licensed.
In renlv the examiner went at length
into the details of the applicants
naners giving the questions and the
answers and commenting on eacn,
pointing out wherein the Tepiles were
in error. He sent copies of this com
munication to the professors III 'nc
University law school They "a! repheo-
EXPRESSING their surprise that a graduate
% ,beir school should have answered
the queries i'll such manner, and com
roending the examination as ialr .
Further the defeated man nimseii
wrote Ny Weaver that ne mao become
satisfied ne had a square deal from 'he
examlnins board. one OF the leedihs
law teachers in the State said IN 50
MANY words that this applicant got
What WAS coming to him
Discussed With Teachers
When th,, Board met last November
renresentatives of the three law schcois
IN Tho state were invited 10 meet With
:. md discuss the situation Iney &c
cepfed and the ground was gone over
carefully
Members Of the state Board OF La"
E-xamincrs are az follows. Rooert NJ
Hughes Norfolk. Judge Kooe'I -
Iarkson. Roanoke: William Leigh, pan
vile Aubroy q. Weaver. Front hoSsi :
Thomas r. Keith. Fairfax
MIR. Weaver comments on Two III -
Tho best paper handed IN sihce ne ne
has been on the board was ina ~
r GRAY Haddon. stenographer III ~"
,.ceo, - Attorney General Williams
vbo is not a law school man. -
Perhaps the worst was from - a.
holding Official place. who was era -
Is out Of d possible 100. The Board
quircs IS.