Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-09-24
MORE D. c. JUDGES
HELD NECESSARY
Supreme Court Will Convene
Soon With Largest Docket
in Its History.
CONGRESS TO BE ASKED
TO GIVE SOME RELIEF
Members of Bar to Back Request
Will Take Years to Dispose
of Pending Cases.

The Supreme Court of the District OF
Columbia will convene for the October
term in about ten days with the largest
docket in it's history. In spite of the
strenuous efforts of the judges during the
last court year to relieve the congestion
of cases awaiting disposition the new lti-
CATION begun during 1915 has overbal-
anced the cases tried and the new calen-
dars now in preparation by the clerk of
the court show advances in the number
of law, equity and criminal matters to be
disposed of during the coming term.
This condition of the docket is regarded
as convincing proof of the need of at
least one additional judge for the court.
| The six members of the bench working
six days each week were able to hear
and determine fewer cases than the natu-
raj increment of the'year and as result
on the law calendar there will be S2i
cases. where the preceding years docket
| showed only S19 cases. The trial of the
Hutchins will contest tied up one of the
! courts for five months and its effect is
/ displayed in the great increase in the ap-
peals and certiorar cases from the mu-
nicipal court The new calendar of these
matters indicate there will be 336 cases,
as compared with 1873 at the beginning
of the last October term.
Equity Calendar Large.
| The equity calendar is by far the
greatest the court has ever been called
upon to face. With several days re-
naming. in which to calendar cases
, for the coming term, the number of
divorces. marital infelicities of lesser
nature. injunctions and similar pro-
| ceedings is nearing the ESQ mark.
| When it is remembered that each
month sees an addition to this calen-
dar, which is not made up like the
law calendar for the entire court year,
the outlook for the two equity judges
| is anything but encouraging in the
hope of ever keeping up with the mass
of this work.
The judges assigned to the criminal
courts will find no sinecure. Already
United States Attorney Laskey and his
assistants have prepared for trial ff-
ltyfour cases. Indicted persons to the
number of ninety-two will be ar
rafgned before the opening of the
court October 5. and such Of these as
demand trial will be accommodated.
There are pending in the United States
lattorney's office 152 other cases, which
nave not yet been passed on by the
grand jury. These figures give ample
proof that there will always be some
the coming months. Among the trials
of the early fall will be those of fifteen
persons charged with homicide in de-
grees from first-degree murder to
manslaughter. Alleged gamblers also
| will face the court, it is expected, be-
fore the Christmas holidays Eleven
indictments for violations of the gam
| bling laws have been found. and it is
leXpected that when the new grand jury
is selected a number of other similar
| charges will be presented to that body.
May Urge New Judges.
| Chief Justice Covington and his as
sociates on the bench will have the un-
J qualified support OF the bar. it is said.
| in an effort to be made to impress on
Congress early in December the neces-
sity for help in reducing the number of
cases awaiting trial in the local courts.
| Two new judges may be urged, and
| from the condition of the calendar, it
is pointed out, it would be several
abreast of the suits pending for dispo-
! sition, even with the addition of two
more judges. lawyer today desig-
mated case which was brought early
in 1910 before the Municipal Court and
| transferred before trial to the District
Supreme Court which remains on the
docket awaiting trial Among the dan
! gers to 1itigants by reason of the delay
i
!by the crowded dockets is the loss OF
witnesses by death or removal from
| the city, and the actual loss of the
right to maintain suits where the death
of the plaintiff wipes away his legal
rights.
Rule May Be Broken.
| Another effect of the crowded docket
may be the breaking of the rule of
| changing judges in the courts at the
beginning of the October term. Because
| Justices Gould and Stafford made such
headway with the law trials in the Cir
cult courts last year it is rumored they
will be retained in those courts. JUS
| tice Mccoy is slated to remain in
Equity. although he expects to be
| transferred to Equity Court No. 2,
where he will also have the probate
matters. The assignments of the JUS
itices have not been formally announced
! and will not be until all the judges re-
!