Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-09-13
JUDGE KEITH HAS NOT
DECIDED ON CANDIDACY
President Of Supreme Court May Not
Offer for Reelection This
Winter.
FIGHT ON NEW PENSION BILL
Judge Sims, OF Louisa, Mentioned as
Probable Candidate In Event of
Judge Keith's Retirement-Others
Not Eligible Under Pension Act.

Judge James Kcth president of tho
supreme Court of Appeals of Virginia.
has not yet determined whether he will
be candidate for reelection ut the
coming session OF the General Assem-
bly,. His terms ends February /. 1916.
and the election for the new twelve
year term will he at the hands of tho
General Assembly, which convenes in
January.
Al MS home In Warrenton on Satur-
Gay Judge Keith declined to express
himself as to whether or not he will be
a candidate for recollection, but indfcat.
ed that he would make definite an
nouncement az soon as his mind is made
up. lie is seventy-siX years or age and
mas served on the Supreme Bench for
twenty years
MOVEMENT TO REPEAL
NEW PENSION ACT
There is said to be distinct move
ment on foot to secure the repeal OF
the act which provides that Judges of
the Supreme Bench who have served for
n period of twelve consecutive wears
and who attained the age of seventy
years. shall be allowed to retire on an
annuity Of $4,000 year
Judge John a. Buchanan retired at
the end Of his term last year under this
provision, after notable career on the
bench. He was succeeded by Judge
Joseph l.. Kelly, of Bristol elected by
the General Assembly of 1914.
The objection to the statutes is main
~ on the ground that it is the enter
ing wedge for general civil pension
system which would prove a heavy bur
den for the State. There is said to be
no more rea9on for retiring with pen
sion Supreme Court Judges who receive
$4,000 per annum than there is for
granting pensions TO Circuit Court
Judges whose compensation is much
less than that figure
OTHER MEMBERS ARE
NOT YET ELIGIRLE
The other members of the court AFRO
not yet eligible to take advantage Of
the retirement act. even II they wished
to do so, as they are not vet seventy
wears of age. Judge George NJ. Harli-
son was born February II. lS4T, and is
sixty eight; Judge Stafford G. White
was born December :. 1Sia, and is in his
sixty sixth year, while Judge r. II.
Cardwell was born August l, 1916, and
is now siXty-nine years old.
While elected at large. unwritten law
ana n custom more or less observed
provide for the representation on the
bench OF the five grand divisions of the
''H'e' Judge hclth is from FaGGuier,
Judge Cardwcl from Hanover. Judge
Kelly from Washington County. Judge
HARRISON from Augusta and Judge
Whtttle from Henry. Complaint has
been made that Underwater Is without
representation. Judge Cardwcll being
it's nearest resident Judge
JUDGE SIMS MAY OFFER
~ JUDGE KEITH RETIREs
Prominently mentioned in connection
with the possible retirement OF Judge
Keith at the end Of his term is Judge
Frederick Wilmer Sims, OF Louisa, who
was a candidate before the session of
1914 al the time Of the election of Judge
Kelly In the event that Judge Card
well should decide 10 retire on reach
ing the age OF seventy, report at the
Capitol has IL that Judge Jesse +. West
Will be candidate. Judge West was
also in the race in the contest of 1911
Should Judge Keith announce his de-
termination TO retire, il is more than
probable that friends Of other we'll
known lawyers and Judges in the State
would hiring their names forward as
candidates before the General Assembly
meets in January.