The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-02-21
Judicial Reapportionment in
Kansas Hangs in Balance.
Abolish a Number of Districts
Is the Present Plan.
TOO ACTIVE In LEGISLATURE?
Lawmakers Say Judges Direct
Too Much Politics.
COntended That There Is Not
Enough Work for Salary.

This is trouble day for Kansas dis
trict judges. The house judiciary
committee has under consideration
new bill for the judicial reapportion-
ment of the state and today began
consideration of its provisions. 1t is
the purpose Of Frank J.. Martin, chair
bill some time during the week-pl OBJ
ably Thursday or Friday-and the
measure Will be rushed to carly con-
sideration on the floor.
That conditions in the va rious judi
c1al districts may be Siven fair oorsid-
GRAFTON, Chairman Martin last week
notified all of the judges of the plans
of the committee to originate a bill
which will abolish a number of dis
tricts. 1t is probable that the bill
will reduce the number of judicial
districts from "a to IS. AT present
there are 80 district Judges on the pay
roll of the state. The proposed bill
will probably reduce the number of
Judges to 2S and will cut about $4,000
a year from the states expenses
New trouble for Kansas district
judges was outlined last week when
the house voted to instruct the judi
CARY committee to originate a Judi
clal reapportionment bill. This action
was taken after the house judicial APP
poruonment committee had killed the
Brooks bill.
Judges Without Work?
1t is commended that in number of
districts of the state the judges spend
most of their time drawing their pay
checks. In other districts the judges
work overtime for their money Rec
ords produced during the present leg
1slative session showed that in 1916
Judge Flannelly, who recently re-
signed as judge of the Montgomery
1fyTf n fp-ff 81
during 1916. Judges in Shawnee,
Wyandotte, Sedgwick and other coun-
ties worked overtime IN an effort to
clean up their dockets. In several of
the larger counties two and three di-
visions of the district court are kept
busy IN an effort to dispose of pend
ing litigation. 1t is in the smaller dis
tricts, however, where the complaint
is made that the judges do not earn
their pay.
One of the rumors in the legisla-
tive halls concerns the efforts of law
makers to even accounts with dis
trict judges who have sought to direct
legisla ton. 1t is asserted by several
members of the legislature that the
efforts of district judges to tell the
legislature what to do and how to do
it. are largely responsible for the agi-
ta1on for new judiciary bill.
Getting Into Legislature.
Two years ago Judge Ruppenthal,
who presides over number of west
ern counties, recommended a number
of new laws. Reports are to the
effect that Judge Ruppenthal's bills
numbered nearly 100 and that all ex-
'cept one or two of the proposed stat
utory provisions We're killed. Dur
ing the last few months a number of
the district judges have made sug-
gestion as to the things the legislature
should do or should forget to do. All
of which seems to have added to the
desire for judicial reapportionment
The bill which Will probably come
from the judiciary committee in a
couple of da. will provide for the
abolition of a number of districts
Some of the judges affected by the
agitation will probably find that
under the new bill they will be COM
PEELED to try cases in a number of
extra counties or will be legislated
out of office. In a number Of in
stances, it is asserted, the district
judges work less than 100 days a
year. while in a few cases the court
work occupies the attention of the
trial judge from so to rs days a year