The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-02-03
Measure to be Presented by
Senator Morse Would
Change System
MUNICIPAL COURTS
WOULD BE ABOLISHED
One Court Would Have Jurisdiction
Over All Windham County Except
Rockingham and Grafton - Jurisdic-
| ton Of Judges.

MONTPELIER Feb. "A bill which
would establish district courts and
abolish all municipal and city courts
and which would change the iurisdic-
ton of justices of the peace will be-
introduced in the senate next Monday
by Senator Morse of Caledonia coun-
ty The act also provides for some
minor changes in the drawing of ju-
ries and provides that attorneys on
both sides shall be furnished with lists
of the talesmen from which the jury
10 sit on a case shall be drawn.
The act in substance provides that
! the state shall be divided into l3 dis
| tricts, each Of which will have dis
trict court with the same power and
jurisdiction as municipal court and
with financial jurisdiction up to $500.
| The county courts are also given con-
current jurisdiction in cases involving
from 5000 to $500.
The district Judge will have power TO
accept pleas of guilty in all cases OF
felonies except those punishable by
i imprisonment for life and will have
i trial jurisdiction in all cases where
the maximum penalty is five years in
the states prison. The removal Of
cases from the district court TO the
county court is also provided for on
the motion of the defendant and in
eases where the adj damnum is be
tween $500 and $500.
1 Criminal jurisdiction is taken away
from justices of the peace and civil
: jurisdiction is limited to 800.
The provisions for the act also create
trial magistrates to have jurisdiction
and to accept pleas Of guilty in pre-
sentiments originally under the iuris
: diction OF justices of the peace
J The 10 districts into which the state
would be divided are made up as fol
lows:
District No. AL towns III Addison
county with the exception of Granville
and Hancock.
No. 2-All towns in Bennington
county.
No. 3-Towns in Caledonia county
except Hardwick, Walden and Stan
nard; also Bradford and Newbury il
Orange county and Concord, Lunen
berg. Victory, Guildhall, CRANKY, Maid
stone, East Haven, Brunswick. Bloom
field, Lexington and Canaan in Essel
county.
Il No. 4-Chittenden and Grand Isl,
county towns except Alburg.
No. 5-Franklin county towns an,
Alburg III Grand Isle county.
/ No 6-Lamoille county towns ant
] era ftsbury and Greensboro in Orlean
i, county, Hardwiek, Stannard and Wal
den in Caledonia county and Woodbur,
: in Washington county.
No Orleans county towns excep
/ Craftsbury; also Brighton, East Hav
= en-, Norton and the cores of Esse,
/ county
: No. S-Rutand county towns
No. 9-Washington county town
4 except Plainfeld. Fayston, Marshfeld
i Cabot, Calais and Barre town.
$ No. l0-Barre city, Plainfield
Marshfeld, Calais, Cabot, Faystor
l. Barre town, Williamstown, Plainfeld
5 in Washington county and Orange an
n Topsham in Orange county.
No. 1l-Chelsea, Corinth. Ecrshirf
( West Fairlee. Fairlee, Thetford STRAIT
' ford, Tunbridge, Randolph and Brain
tree in Orange county and Granvili
! and Hancock in Addison county an
: Rochester, Bethel. Royalton, Sharon
Norwich, Stockbridge, Barnet, Pom
: fret and Hartford in Windsor count,
: No. l2-Windsor county towns no
!, in district No. II and Grafton an
! Rockingham in Windham county.
: No. 13-Windham county towns c,
e cept Rockingham and Grafton
: The arrangement of the towns
u made with especial reference TO tran:
i portation facilities.