The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1915-11-04
WOULD Be or REAL SERVICE
History of Court Is Reviewed at Length
and Judge Randall Tells Attorneys
That 1t Is Planned as Court Where
Humanity and Justice Meet.

! Declaring that the mun1clpal court
was the real forum of the people and
place for the administration of JUS
tice tempered with mercy and justice
in the view of humane restrictions,
Judge G. E. Randall of the municipal
court, spoke on the functions of the
court over which he presides at the
regular monthly dinner held at Hotel
haywood this afternoon. Every at
torney in the city was present at the
| dinner and the carefully prepared
address of the judge proved of great
| est interest.
Judge Randall gave much of the
hour which had been assigned to him,
! to the discussion of the municipal
court as a successor Of the justice
courts. He spoke Of the history of
the justice courts and their abuses and
of the necessity which arose for the
creation of the new court in Kenosha
county. He spoke of the state legis-
lation which made the court possible
and the jurisdiction which had been
conferred upon the court by the
statutes. Then he spoke of the real
functions of the court in the light of
modern day administration of justice.
Commenting along the new and broad
er lines of court work Judge Randall
spoke of the new idea of giving the
wrong doors chance He said in part:
"Since the birth of the municipal
court, laws have been enacted giving
the judges of the various courts power
to place on parole persons convicted
Of or pleading guilty to having com
mitted crimes and misdemeanors.
This power is hedged about with re
strictions, and the various judges of
the state have not abused the priv
ileges granted them. This parole law
is applicable to adults as well as jul
veniles. The confirmed criminal is not
eligible to its benefts-persons com
hitting offenses where the punishment
| provided by statute exceeds ten years
In the state prison cannot be paroled.
Necessarily many accused persons
brought before the bar of the NUM-
cipal court are first offenders, charged
with the lesser offenses, and who are
not likely again to violate the law.
Where the facts warrant, sentence is
| deferred, and these offenders are plac-
| ed on parole. In this way Justice is
| tempered with mercy. Not all paroled
violators make good. However. a
large percentage do. Out of forty
adults paroled three broke the terms
of their parole and were sentenced to
the state prison, one is under arrest
in neighboring city and another is a
fugitive from justice. However, the
majority of the others are attempting
to become better citizens. In my
opinion, the parole system is worth
while, and is genuinely beneficial to
the individual and the community. -
In concluding his interesting address
Judge Randall said:
II believe that this court has RENE
/ died some of the evils that formerly
existed Two glaring evils existed
when the court was founded. To a
large extent these have been eradicat-
ed. Because a large percentage was
foreign, these foreigners were at the
mercy of the interpreter who spoke
their language and upon whom they
depended to act as friendly counsel
Tor. Instead of advising them wisely,
this interpreter more often took adj
vantage of their ignorance and de-
hberately feeced them of their money
under the guise of having to pay at
torney's fees and court costs. Under
the present system, these dishonest in
terpretors do not have the chance to
ply their trade. Again, these same in
terpretors encouraged litigation be-
cause of the fees connected Herewith.
Certain justices of the peace were not
averse to issuing warrants of summons
upon fimsy causes, and oftimes from
two to six processes were issued in
cases arising from single clothes-Ene
fight. This practice has been discour-
aged, and persons no longer apply to
the court to buy a warrant.
'FOther contrasts could perhaps be
made, or are not deemed necessary at
this time. Honest litigation is encour-
aged, dishonest litigation is discourag-
ed. The litigant with the little case
can have his day in court and the poor
man as well as the WELT TODD man