The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1915-04-02
PALATKA TO BE THE
CENTER OF A NEW
JUDICIAL CIRCUIT
To be Composed of Putnam,
St. Johns and Clay Coun-
ties.

A bill is to be presented TO the
legislature in a week or two with
the purpose of creating a new judicial
circuit composed of the counties of
Putnam, st. Johns and Clay. That
it will pass the legislature and
become law is evident from the en-
thusiasm of the bar of the counties
named and the necessities of the case.
st. Johns and Clay counties are now
a part of the Fourth Judicial Cir
cult, of which Duval county also
forms part. There are two circuit
judges on this circuit, and vet the
litigation in Duval county is SO heavy
as to really require the work of ad-
ditional judges. Owing to the great
amo1nt of litigation in the Fourth
Circuit, the business of the court in
st. Johns and Clay county is behind.
The bar OF Duval county, recogniz-
ing the needs of these counties, it is
understood will offer no opposition to
the creation of the new circuit.
The bar of st. Johns and Clay
county are practically unanimous in
favor of the new circuit.
Putnam County is part of the
Eighth Judicial circuit. The other
counties in this circuit are Alachua,
Baker, Bradford and Levy. Judge
Wills, it is understood has given his
consent to the taking of Putnam
county from his circuit for the pIr-
pose of the new; not because he has
any feeling against Putnam, but be-
cause he is overworked.
A judge does more real hard work
in chambers Tin his ofice) than is
done on the bench at the regular
terms of court. A large part of the
chancery business is done in cham
bers.
The lawyers of Putnam county
have also agreed on the need of the
new circuit, and with those of the
other counties named in the bill, will
work for the passage of the measure.
Members of the legislature from the
counties interested have also been
seen and will work for its passage.
Duval county, as has been stated,
has work enough within it's borders
to occupy the time. of additional
Judges, and that county will also
have bill before the legislature te
permit the increase in some form or
other to relieve. the present ccngce.s,.
tion. In this case it is possible that
the new circuit of which Putnam is to
be part may retain the old numeraI
of the Fourth Judicial Circuit, and a
new number given to the Duval Cir
cult.
Another fact that will have special
interest in Palatka and Putnam coun-
ty is that the bar of this county has
agreed to recommend Attorney A. H,
Odom of this city to be judge Of the
new circuit. And further, the bar
of st. Johns and Clay counties are
understood to be practically unani-
nous in favor of Mr.. Odom's appoint
ment. There is in fact no opposi-
tion to him in these counties, though
one attorney in st. Johns county on
ly, while not opposed to Mr.. Odom, is
said to be opposed to the new circuit
and simply for the reason that he
prefers to be associated with the cir
cult in Jacksonville.
| For States Attorney the attorneys
of the proposed new circuit have
agreed upon the Judge E. Noble Cal
hoIn of st. Augustine, formerly of
this city, and one of the brightest,
most eloquent and most successful
practitioners in Florida.
Mr.. Odom has long ranked as one
of the best legal minds in this sec
ton. He is a profound student of
the law, has an analytical mind-the
judicial mind, and in the event of his
appointment, which is as certain as
the passage of the bill, the new cir
cult is assured of a judge who Is
conversent with the law and who is
lover of justice.