The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-12-29
NO PRESENT NEED ID ORGANIZE GRAND JURY, STATES FORT Authorities Defer Action Pending Decision of the
 Supreme Court CONSOLIDATED COURT BILL NOW UNDER FIRE September Grand Jury Cleaned Up Docket, Says Jurist-Solicito
 Black May Be Eliminated.
 Chancery Court Involved

For the first time in many years there will be no grand jury organized to in- vestigate crime in Jefferson county on the first Monday of January, which falls on New Years Day in 1917.
 The reason attributed for the lack of a grand jury is that until the supreme court passes on the status of the criminal court of Jefferson county it is deemed bestGto await the action of the highest tribunal of the state.
 Senior Judge William E. Fort of the criminal court stated yesterday after noon that the docket of the grand jury was clean at the present time, and that there was no immediate necessity of calling one.
 "There will be no grand jury organized for the January term, as in previous years" said Judge Fort, ''and as pleas ant surprise to the people of the county it can be stated that there is really no need for the organization of a grand jury at the present time, owing to the fact that the September grand jurors did their work in such thorough manner.
 STATUS OF CRIMINAL COURT
 
 However, the real reason for not call ing the January grand jury together is due to the legal proceedings now before the supreme court to establish the status of the criminal courts under the con- solidated court act If the criminal courts are incorporated into the consol- dated court act the circuit court will then organize grand jury and should the highest state court rule that the criminal courts will remain as they are at the present time, a grand jury can then be called at the convenience of the presiding judge"
 Judge Fort was asked if the proceed ing now pending would finally settle all questions on the constitutionality of the consolidated court act and replied:
 q should say not. Of course in minor criminal and civil cases no questions will be raised as to the constitutionality of the court, but in all important trials op- posing counsel will attempt to shoot the consolidated court act full of holes, and that particular bill may go before the supreme court several times before final decision is made as to it's powers.
 ELIMINATES SOLICITOR BLACK
 The incorporation of the criminal court into the circuit court as is now almost certain, according to the opinion of the well known attorneys of the city, also means the elimination of Hugo L. Black as prosecutor of Jefferson county. Cir cult Solicitor Joseph R. Tate will after the first Monday following the second Tuesday in January become the legal prosecuting officer of Jefferson county.
 Another angle of the consolidated court act that is expected to be attacked with in the next few days is regarding the status of the register in chancery. Ac- cording to the Wealkley salary bill, the register in chancery is taken off the fee system and placed on salary of $500 per annum. It is now claimed that an- other bill was passed following the Weak ley bill that removes the register in chan cery of Jefferson county from the salary list and back into the fee system. Henry Morschheimer is the present register in chancery and will be succeeded by Ernest B. Matthews.
 No decision on the consolidated court bill is expected from the supreme court for at least another week.