Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-04-24
ALLEGATIONS EXPEDITION SEEN
IN ACT AMENDING D. C.. CODE
Changes Affect Estate Settlement, Loans,
Garage Owners, Divorce Laws, Jury
Selection and Other Institutions.

| Litigation in Washington Is expect
ed to be expedited and many costly
proceedings shortened by the new &C,
amendatory Of the District code
which has passed both houses Of Con-
fgress and will shortly become effec-
tive. The amendments will especially
promote, it Is claimed. the rapid and
efficient settlement of estates Of de-
ceased persons Most Of the changes
Court.
business men will be interested in
! the change In the laws. which permits
| loans under written contract to bear
| interest not to exceed per cent. The
| present law, while allowing 10 per
cent on written agreement in one sec
ton. appears to provide penalty OF
loss of all interes, over 6 per cent in
another section. All doubt as to the
legal rate OF interest under agreement
seems to be removed by the new
enactment An exception IL made in
the case OF pawnbrokers. who a:e al
lowed l Per cent a month under spe-
cial law on collateral in pawn.
Ownership Of Property.
Banks, trust companies and other
corporations viii be permitted to
own property. in which their ofaces
are located. worth an amount not to
exceed the value of the capital and
surplus of the company. The present
law limits to 100000 the value of
such holdings.
Garage men are given lien on
automobiles for their charges for
storage. repairs and supplies incurred
by the owner of the vehicle or by a
conditional vendee. They may detain
the machines under the new law after
giving notice as required Of livery
men. Sale OF the vehicle may be made
Nh 1t
days.
There will be no more divorces on
one day and remarriages on the next
day when the new law goes into eff
feet In all cases Of absolute divorces
or annulments of marriage the new
law provides for an interlocutory de-
cree not to become final for ninety
days. After the expiration of such
period Of ninety days." reads the new
raw, "a final decree shall be entered
by the court. provided It is applied
for within thirty days. but It shall
| not be effective to annul or dissolve
the marriage until the expiration of
the time allowed for taking an appeal.
nor until the final disposition of any
appeal taken, and every such final de-
cree shall expressly SO recite."
Jury Selection Revised.
A decided change is provided in the
matter of jury service and the selec-
ton of Jurors. Now jurors in the
District Supreme Court serve two
months. but the new law provides for
a change Of jurors each month. I'm
der the present law the jury box is
filled by the United States marshal,
the collector Of taxes and the clerk
of the District Supreme Court. each
having many other and varied duties.
Under the new act the justices Of the
court will appoint jury commission
of three men who are to NIL the jury
box and draw the jurors needed in
the various branches of the court The
jury commissioners must have lived
three years in the District Of Column
bia and must own real estate In their
names. One man is to retire from the
commission each year and may not
again serve within a year. Compen-
sation of the commissioners Is fxed
at $40 per day. but not to exceed
five days a month.
Instead OF drawing juries for each
court by name. as Is now done. a
panel of jurors to serve in the law
and criminal courts will be sum-
moned and the jurors may be used in
any branch Of the courts where
needed. A special list Of LOO names Is
to be kept by the jury commission,
from which are to be drawn juries and
commissions in land condemnation
proceedings A prohibition is placed
on man serving in a land condemns
ton twice in the same year.
Another innovation relates to the
selection of the foreman Of the grand
jury. Hereafter he may be selected
from among the petit jurors if the