Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-12-05
Corporation Counsel.

In the Supreme Court of the United
States one case was decided in favor
of the District, in one case certiorari
was denied, and two cases are there
pending.
The Court of Appeals of this District
| decided seven cases favorably to the
District of Columbia, seven adversely,
two were dismissed and two are there
pending.
In the Supreme Court of the District
of Columbia thirteen judgments were
| rendered in favor of the District of
Columbia. eleven were adverse, four
cases were dismissed and seventy
branch four cases were decided In IA
vor of the Commissioners. three ad-
verse. two were dismissed and TWEEN
| ty-nine are there pending. OF the six
cases involving the public utilities
commission. two were decided in favor
Of the commission, one was dismissed
and three are pending.
In the District Court eighteen YER
diets of condemnation were confirmed.
five cases were dismissed. and fifteen
are there pending. Seven probate mat
tiers are now pending, while of the four
lunacy cases, other than commitments,
one was decided favorable to the Dis
trict and three are pending. Two ha-
beas corpus cases were decided favor
able to the District, one was dismissed
and two are now per ding. There were
FIVE appeals from judgments rendered
in the Municipal Court and two certi-
orari cases from the Municipal Court.
all of which are pending. In the lunacy
court 451 cases were disposed of.
Twenty-six thousand three hundred
and thirty-six informatfons were filed
against offenders in the Police Court
and fines aggregating S97,666.16 were
collected.
In the Municipal Court four cases
were decided favorable to the District,
6tsp nfoe,r =
and sixteen are pending.
In tine Juvenile Court OF this District
1.168 informations were filed and COL
lections in the sum of s47.40734 were
made in behalf of deserted families.
Alienist.
The total number of cases of suspect
ed insanity examined were 1852. This
shows an increase of 141 cases over the
preceding year; 10 cases were exam
ined at the Juvenile Court, an increase
of 45: $40 cases at the Government
Hospital for the Insane, an increase of
so. and 1922 at the Washington Asy-
lum Hospital, an increase of 6. OF
those examined at the Washington
Asylum Hospital. 715 were mental sus-
poets, an increase of $50; SIS alcoholic
| cases. decrease of 19, and 80 were
addicted to the habitual use of NOR
phine. which was 10 less than the
number treated last year at this insti-
tuition.
The lack of facilities for the proper
| care and attention of those cases sus-
pected of being insane suggests the
need of a psychopathip ward. similar to
| those existing in other municipalities,
for the District of Columbia, as early
care and treatment of these cases
which it would facilitate. would in
many instances, result in restoration
to health.
Attention is invited to the number of
cases before the court for permanent
commitment under section 1877 of the
District code. More than so per cent
of these cases exhibit mental symp-
toms that leave no doubt in the minds
of their friends and relatives that they
need care and treatment. and the only
advantage in requiring their presence
IN court is to conform with legal re-
duirements. This is done in many in
stances against the Protest of their
friends. relatives and of the patients
themselves. 1t would seem that unless
there Is some reaon for their commit
ment attendance at court is an unnec-
esSary hardship to the patient and
family. as well as an expense to the
District of Columbia. The Commits
sioners believe that the law dealing
with this subject should be amended.