Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1913-11-13
Speed of Procedure, Supervi-
sion of Barrister's Charges,
ETC.. Might Well Be Adopted.

sion OF BarrlSter'S Charges,
ETC., Might Well Be Adopted.
London. England Special: The Eng
fish court of general Jurisdiction is the
high court Of Justice, which Is divided
into the Kings Bench division, the
Chancery division and the probate, d.
vorce and admiralty division. All these
courts, or divisions of the high court
and the appellant courts. meet In the
collection of buildings. on the Strand
generally known as the Law Courts.
These courts are presided over by
judges appointed for life, who not only
hold court here but go out into the
various countries of the kingdom as
we'll and hold court. When they sit in
the country the sessions are called the
assizes. but the assizes are Of little
much of the litigation is tried In the
county courts, and also for the reason
that England being a small country
the ltttgants often find II convenient
to go to London to try their cases.
The Kings Bench.
The Kings Bench division hears the
law actions or jury cases and tho
Chancery division hears the chancery
or equity cases.
The ancient Court OF Kings Bench,
which derives it's name from the fact
that formerly the king sat in it. was
originally the criminal court OF Eng
land, and the cases that it now hears
We're tried in the court of common
pleas. The appellant courts generally
consist of three Judges, and the pro-
cedure is much the same as in our APP
pellant courts. except that part OF the
time the court decides the case as soon
as it is submitted, the opinion being
delivered orally by one of the judges,
thereby at once relieving the barristers
of all anxiety in regard to the outcome
of the case. From the appellant courts
another appeal lies to the House OF
Lords. or rather to committee OF
made members of that absurd body for
this purpose, and that is the court of
last resort.
The county courts are important and
popular courts and are presided over
by Judges who are learned and able
law yers. The county courts can nave
jurisdiction to the amount of $500, and
it also has equity jurisdiction. Solici-
tors may practice in the county courts
and they are usually required to wear
gown when they try case, jury
may be demanded If the amount in
volved exceeds s25. Below the county
courts are the Justice of the peace
courts and in London the registers
courts. Tho criminal courts are quite
distinct from the courts that 1 have
enumerated, and In London they are
held at the Old Bailey. which l have
attempted to describe in former let
ter.
Enaland's Reno 10 Different.
England has Reno to which persons
who would be freed from married bliss
make long pilgrimages from all parts
Of tmgland. The English Reno is the
Law Courts on the Strand but their
be gotten easily there. for that is far
From true, nor on account of the cx-
pense. for the costs are very high, but
because of the fact that it happens to
be the only court in England that can
grant divorces and all divorce actions
must be heard here. The Barristers
receive their legal education in the Inns
pf court, the principle ones being Gray's
Inn. Lincoln's Inn and the inns of the
Inner and Middle Temple. Those inns
IRE comprised of lodging houses, lee
ture and dining rooms etc. and not
only the students live here but many
IF the Barristers live here as we'll. In
trays Inn Sir Francis Bacon received
his legal training and the Temple Inns
we're the inns of Sir William Black
stone.
The most interesting of those inns are
Me Temple Inns. which We're first oc-
supied. in early Norman times. by the
knight Tcmplars and later leased to
the students of law who have occupied
chem ever since. These famous inns
are just across the street from the law
courts and it is one of the most inter-
esting spots in London. You enter the
grounds through an ancient and pic
turesque gateway and once inside the
grounds the noise of the street can
s,o bo ,,,l OLE
few steps from one of the busiest
streets in London. Near the gateway
is the Old Temple church. built by the
Knight Tenplars. which Is one OF the
oldest churches in England. In the fine
old dining hall dating back to the
Sixteenth century. some of the greatest
lawyers of England have dined and in
the third story of a little brick house.
close by. oliver Goldsmith wrote many
of his best works and there died. His
neighbor on the first floor below was
blackstone and later in the same house
Thackery lived for time. Charles
Lamb was born in the Temple Inns and
close beside the Old church is the
Goldsmith tomb with the simple in
scrption Here Lies Oliver Goldsmith"
Iincoln's Inn is also of much interest
and the famous court OF chancery held
Its sessions here prior to the building
of the law courts. 1t must be great
inspiration tn the English lawyer to
study law amid associations pertaining
so closely to his profession
In the Temple Inns found man
engaged in making. by hand, wigs for
the Judges and barristers and he
seemed to think that wigs and gowns
were quite essential and necessary He
the dignity of the courts and advocated
extending there use to America He.
was so earnest about ii that ! ref-ained
from telling him that thought it all
dignificd nonsense.
Tho Lord Chancellor.
JNhe highest judicial position, if il
may properly be called that, in England
is that Of lord chancellor He has
various and important duties to per-
form ard If he performed them all In
person he would be IA very busy man.
He is presiding officer of the House of
Lords and when performing that duty
he sits on the famous woolsack which.
L might explain. is a quaint cushioned
ottoman placed in front of the throne.
He Is also keeper of the great seal and
has Il court of his own In the law
courts, but has long ceased to sit there.
He does not hold office for life, but
goes ont of office with the government
~ administration. This position il
now held by Lord Haldane who has
just returned from IL visit to the United
states. The office of chancellor and the
court chancery has very interesting
and r:nportant history.
In the early Norman period the posi-
ton of chancellor was high church
dignity and was closely connected with
the crown and among the various
duties pertaining to this position was
that of keeper of the great seal of th..
kingdom. In those days in order to
commence law suit it was necessary
to apply to the lord chancellor for a
writ to which he would affix the great
seal. These writs were of a set form