The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-03-20
NO MORE JUDGES NEEDED.
The Ninth District Requires No Legis-
IatIye Relief nj This Time.

Ninth judicial district, consisting OF
the counties OF Westminster, Putnam
Duchess. Orange and Rockland.
The bill has been prepared BY some
one who has not given sufficient con-
s.deratlon to the conditions and has
drawn a wrong conclusion as to the me-
cessity for the additional Judges.
There Is nc necessity for them and l
am able to find but very few lawyers
who believe that there IL.
Upon the contrary. Il Is the general
belief among the bar In this judicial dis
trict that the bill is III advised, and |
believe ,ha IL the Judges In this district
were asked their opinion would be the
same.
There are now FIVE Justices, Messrs.
Hlrschberg. Mills. Keogh. Tornpktns and
Morschauser. holding trial and special
terms In the five counties In THIS jud.-
cial district.
There are two very short terms a year
in Putnam county, hardly ever a Week
each. and some terms are completed
in one, two or three days. In Duchess
county there are four terms that never
last over three or foul weeks each. In
Orange county there are four terms OF
less than a month each. In Rockland
county there are three terms lasting from
two 20 three weeks each. In each OF
these counties all the cases on the chlen-
dar at each term are easily disposed or.
No one will assert that there Il any
necessity for additional Judges In any OF
these counties
The contention made on behalf OF he
proposed act Is that the Increased bust
ness In Westchester county and the con-
gested calendar here make necessary the
additional Judges in order TO dispose
properly and promptly OF the business
This is not true.
In the firs, place. there are now and
have been sor two or three years Ave
, equity terms 4 year held ut White
Plains. and they have been found SUN
Client for the trial OF all equity cases
that is TO say. all the cases on each
monthly calendar are disposed OF during
the term, and every issue may be tried
during the term II the parties and their
attorneys want TO try them.
An equity case can be tried az the
next term after the joining Il issue, 30
there Is no present need OF any additional
equity terms.
In respect to jury cases the calendl-
shows about loco untriei issues. d;
as the Judges and all lawyers well know
many Of these cases will never be tired
During the February term, no;wlth-
standing IL was the shortest month o. ta'
year and there were two holidays WASH
iagton's and Llncoln's birthdays. between
400 and 500 cases Wore reached and de-
posed OF in one way Or another. and u
the calendar rules are observed ard law
yers are required - g.: ready fr
try their cases when reached, me
same methods are followed .H i"A.r
with ire ca. ndar as asst month hf 'H'
presiding Justice. IL Is SAFE - say t'ai
within A year the trial terms WI he or
with the calendar. and cases could '.
--H - - 900 AfHAs AAL e.
has been Joined.
Each month Ne ne calendar moves
tapldly many settlements are announced
many inQuests taken. many DISMISS us
for want - prosecution ordered. som.
cases referred. and other cases paced "a
the foot Of the calendar, .ndicat.n- t-1'
they are not l,ke'y TO be tied
In conversation with one Of ;he 50
pr.me Court Justices he stated 10 NJ
that in hts opinion OF thu present cdlcu'
dar In Westminster county Of loo" u1-
tried cases Mt one-tourth vii ever h'
tried a: the tr.al term II the Calrndtl
rules are rig.ily enforced. and that those
cases are being rapidly reached and W.
be disposed OF and not again appear up2f
The calendar.
During February three jury parts We .
IN session at White Plains. and II wac
with difficulty that they Wee kept busy
and this month, with only two jury
terms. about one-ha.f Of the time one oi
another is Idle.
Beside there are no facilities for any
new or additional parts Of the court ~
White Plains. Trial Term. Part Ill, 81
now held n the Supervisors room "lef
the Board 81 Supervisors IS not IN SEE
SION, and should there be a special tern
for trials a, the same time that three
fury terms are being held there w1I''
be- no court room or oth.r facilities 30.
one OF the parts.
II additional court room facilities 1''
to be furnished for Westchester county .
will take several years 20 provide th-Di
This additional accommodation has bee.
suggested. but plans have not been PR
!, pared ard II plans should be adop,"'
and an appropriation made Tor q re-
court house, as has been suggested. %
additional facili'ies by WY 90 an AID
? ton TO the present court house. u vpul'
be sevara! years before they could u'
prepared Tor use.
Judge H!rschberg = now back Boo 'h.
? district as one ~ the TRIAL aNd Spt..'
. term Judges. having asked u be relieve
from the Appellate Divisior A. set h
= has only four mOntas OF ass gum~utS q"
/. Ia. present year. the reason being tina
/, mere is no, sufficient work - occupy 1H,
: more Of hts time. unless he should con,
70 W~estcheStcr county, ard g 50 the
, would be 10 court room facilities for h.
/, Use. He would gladly come acd help C.el.
, the calendar. but there = no p.lo" pro
, vid-d for him TO aold court, and yet thor
are a few lawyers who, not having glyei
, the matter due consideration, believe tina
2 We want more Judges, when In fact W
, have not court room facilities fJr all .
the present Judges.
Two additional Judges will make seve'
FOR this district. and with the prt-"u
amount OF wo.' ,ue-half ot them woul
be idle a greet part ~ the time.
The conditions do not warrant a.
passage OF the bill in question. The adj
? dIt!onal expenses, including the sa!dri"
OF the Judges. their secretaries an.
stenographers, would amount IN the az
, gr.gate 10 at least $50 600 u year an
, would be an unnecessary and UNJUST
, fable burden upon the taxpayers OF Ia.
district.
Moreover, the Indications are that ON
4 ing TO the operation OF the workmen'
compensation law there viii be a V'r
=, large decrease in litigation
Peokskill and White Plains VIII prof.
. ably soon be Incorporated "a cities. Wit
, their loca, city courts, which Will relieN
the Supreme Court very Corsidrrdhi!
: The White Plains charter is before ~
Legislature and the Peekskill charter
, substantially completed.
The further fact that there Is a poss.
bility that a part OF lower Wes,chcste
N which much litigation arises, Will ,
annexed TO New York city Is TO /
considered. There Is a very strouI
sentiment in favor OF such annexation