Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-01-05
SEPARATE COURT
TO TRY CHILDREN
Ordinance Provides New Machin-
cry for Juvenile and Domes-
tic Relations Cases.
FREE FROM POLICE COURT
Councilman English Offers Meas
ure Prepared by Juvenile Pro
tective Society of Virginia.


feet "A reform long planned by the
Juvenile Protective Soci.:v Of Virginia,
Councilman Edgar Il, English. OF Clay
ward introduced In the Common Coun-
c!l last night an ordinance creating In
the city Of Richmond Juvenile and
Domestic Relations Court for the trial
or certain distinctive cases now handled
partly by the Police Court and partly
by its Juvenile Court adjunct
Permission for tho establishment of
such courts in Virginia cities contain
ing $4,000 or more inhabitants was Sc
cured by the passage of AN act TO this
erect at the last session Of tn. General
Assembly. Juvenile and Domestic Re-
lations Courts have an important place
In the judicial machinery of Il large
proportion Of the more important Amer
lean cities. and the establishment of
such a court in Richmond is strongly
urged by the societies interested in the
Improvement of domestic and Juvenile
life.
DESCRIBES JURISDICTION
OF PROPOSED COURT
The Jurisdiction of the proposed court
Is described as follows
All oNcnses committed by children
under the age of eighteen years against
the laws of this Commonwealth or
against the ordinances OF the city OF
Richmond
All prosecutions against men charged
with il-treatmcnt. abuse. abandonment
or neglect Of their wives and all
prosecutions against parents. guardians
or custodians charged with ill-treat-
ment, abuse, abandonment or neglect
OF their children or wards.
All cases involving the prosecution
and punishment of persons over the
age OF eighteen years who are charged
with onenses against children under
that age. or with causing. aiding in or
contributing to the delinquency or de-
pendency Of such children.
All cases affecting th. protection
care. custody or control of children
under the age OF eighteen years. Of
which justices of the peace or police
Justices now have Jurisdiction
COURT TO HOLD
IT'S SESSIONS DAILY
The ordinance provides that the JUS
tice OF the Juvenile and Domestic Re
lations Court shall sit daily except
Sunday, and shall hold court in the
rooms now set aside for the use of the
Juvenile Court, in the basement of the
City Hall. or In such other rooms as
may be provided. The amount of the
salary to be paid the new justice is left
to be determined by the Council.
Under the ordinance. the justice is
given the power to appoint three spe-
cial probation officers. The City Coun-
the court from list of three names
submitted to II by the justice The
salary of the clerk is fixed at $500 a
year. The Council is required also to
elect bailiff, At the request of the
justice, the ordinance provides, il shall
be the duty of the Board of Police
Commissioners to detail one or more
policemen to attend the court and per-
form such duties as may be required
of them.
PRESENT JUVENILE
LAW Is REPEALED
The ordinance carries n provision re-
peaiing the present ordinance rcgulat-
ing detention homes for Juvenile Of
tenders and liking special sessions for
the trial OF juvenile cases. under which
the present Juvenile Court is con-
Quoted. Provision for the performance
of these functions is made in the ordi-
nance creating the new court.
In the twelve months ending Septen-
ber SO. 1914, the Juvenile Court hea rd
700 cases involving 900 children. II
is believed that to this number would
be added in the course OF a year about
500 cases of contributory Delinquency
and nonsupport were the proposed new
court created with jurisdiction over
such cases.
The ordinance was referred for re-
port to the Ordinance Committee. Ad-
vocateS of the measure will ask for
a public hearing at an early date.
With the View Of laying before the
committee expert testimony on the
subject. Rev. II. ID. c. Maclachlan. ID.
d., chairman of the Steering Commit
tee OF the Juvenile Court wrote ycster-
day to Judge Harry Olson. Of the Do
niestic Relations Court OF Chicago. out
lining the local situation and asking
him for his opinion as to the lcsira-
bility of establishing such a court in
Richmond.